HOMEOWNERS across Dorset are being urged to guard against an invasion of rats this autumn.

Pest experts fear numbers could soar in the next few months, boosted by a combination of cooler temperatures and increasingly wet weather.

The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) says residents should be doing all they can now to protect their properties.

Terry Walker, managing director of Poole-based TP Services, told the Echo he is being increasingly called out to deal with rats and mice at residential and commercial premises locally.

“Some of the headlines I see are alarmist, but going on the numbers I see, year-on-year we are certainly seeing a big increase in calls for our services.”

Terry believes a number of factors have led to the increases, including the changing weather and the switch to fortnightly bin collections.

“Rodents, including mice, are certainly on the increase, “ he said. “Some people, particularly those with larger families, tend to store stuff alongside the bins, which becomes a huge attraction for rats and mice.

“Also, what we have noticed, is a lot of people - instead of having a bin - put out rubbish in plastic bags. You can see all the rubbish strewn up the road. Certainly at commercial premises, the rodents seem to almost have a clock to know what time bins are put out. You see them running out to the bins just a few moments after they have been put out.”

The BPCA says a typical home has more than a dozen potential entry points for rodents, which can get through gaps as small as 15mm.

They recommend sealing up any external gaps, holes of crevices that could provide rats with a way in; removal of potential nesting sites for rats by keeping yards and gardens clean; ensuring doors and windows are closed, and keeping bins - with their lids closed - well maintained.

BPCA technical manager Dee Ward-Thompson said: “The first evidence of rats in a home is often noises under the floor, in the walls or loft as that’s where most will head to once they’re inside.

“Quite apart from the health risks, they’ll foul water tanks and chew on wood or electrical wires which can cause a lot of damage and poses a hazard risk.”