A PRISON has suffered a plague of rats – some even crawling in at night.
One of them told inspectors that a rodent defecated in his bed while he slept, while others were unable to to sleep for hurried sounds.
Inmates at the 330-capacity HMP Springhill, an open prison in Bucks, were “very distressed”.
The Independent Monitoring Board said the prison faced a “massive rat infestation” that became “increasingly worse” during 2023.
Live rats were “frequently seen” in and around the accommodation huts during the day and “constantly heard at night”, leaving the lags “understandably distressed”.
The report also said that rats entered kitchens through holes in the walls.
He added: “It was rare for IMB members not to see live rats during weekly monitoring visits.”
He said a design flaw meant rats that died beneath the buildings could not be recovered, “leaving the stench of rotting carcasses for weeks”.
Live rats have also been found near new temporary log housing blocks.
Rentokil visited the prison – where around 70 lifers live – twice a week to rid it of pests, placing more traps with stronger baits.
A prison official, who has been in the role for more than 15 years, said rats were attracted to “food left around” and were a menace in most prisons.
He added: “Exercise yards are typically covered with bags of crisps, chocolate wrappers and pieces of sandwich bread.
“It’s no surprise that rats are getting bigger and reproducing more than ever.
“If the prisoners want them gone, they need to clean themselves up or they’ll get bigger and braver.”
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