PARENTS have raised concern over rats which they say are infesting their son’s back garden from a former Chinese takeaway next door.

George and Rosalind Vernon’s son bought a house next to a Chinese takeaway, in Duckpool Road, Newport, a couple of years ago.

The Chinese was still open at the time, and Mrs Vernon said her son, who asked not to be named, had enjoyed living at the property.

But all that changed when the takeaway - called Tip Top Chinese - closed its doors around three years ago.

The site has since fallen into dereliction, with youths said to frequently break in to the site.

Mrs Vernon said: “Since it was abandoned people have been smashing it up and breaking in constantly.

“The main window has several cracks. I’m guessing youths have been throwing bricks at it."

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She added: “We have tried contacting the owners but have not been successful.”

According to the Land Registry, the building is owned by Xiao Qiang Zhan and Ah Heung Zhan.

Mr Vernon said he believes the site is acting as a haven for vermin.

“Some days we count 20 to 30 rats coming from the building,” he said.

“My son cannot go in his back garden because of them. Some of them are massive.

"We think there is an infestation.”

He added: “As you know, rats will eat anything. My greatest worry is if they end up finding a way into this house.”

Mrs Vernon said the stress of the situation is taking a toll on the family.

“People must be wondering why our son has not left,” she said.

“He is a single man who cannot afford to leave."

And Mr and Mrs Vernon are now pleading for “something to be done”.

“We do not know what to do because we have tried everything including contacting environmental health.

“The difficulty is that it is privately owned.”

A spokeswoman from Newport City Council said: “An officer from environmental health visited the property and advised the son’s father there was no action environmental health could take at this time and that his son may need to consider employing a private pest control contractor.

“Planning enforcement has also confirmed they cannot take any enforcement action at this time.”

No phone number could be found to call the Chinese.