A LOCHGELLY mum fears rats carrying diseases into her house could kill her six-year-old son. 

Susan Rhind said an “infestation” at their property was a major danger for little Ethan, who has a rare genetic disorder that has left him with a weakened immune system. 

The frantic mum said her son is so traumatised by the rats he can’t stop drawing pictures of them.

She said: “I’m frightened the diseases they carry in their urine could kill him. He can’t go into the shed or the back garden. 

“Everything in the shed is wasted as the rats could have been touching it or peeing on it, spreading infections.”

Ethan has a rare condition, chromosome 22 Q11 duplication, caused by an extra copy of a small piece of chromosome 22.

It has left the Lochgelly West Primary School pupil with back and leg pain, speech problems and some learning difficulties. 

Susan, 42, who dropped out of a university course to look after her son, added: “He’s obsessed with them. He must be dreaming about them at night and he’s done about 20 drawings, all very detailed. 

“He’s nervous and jumps every time he goes by the buckets in case he sees one. We can’t live like this.”  

Susan, of Auchterderran Road, believes Fife Council have been too slow to help get rid of the vermin. 

She said: “I called pest control and got told they’d be out in three days. I waited and nothing. 

“A rat then got into the house, luckily I got a friend to come up and his dog caught it. It was horrible.  

“Friday was the first time anyone came, two weeks after the call.”

Susan added: “The guy put out 15 tubes of bait and by Monday they’d all been taken. He blocked up holes to try and stop them getting in and put down another 15 and they’ve been taken now too. 

“He’s the only one that has helped me.”

She said that was the latest complaint against the council, claiming that she had experienced six floods at her home in the past four months, and had window fittings held together by duct tape and “bits of wood”. 

Susan said: “My eldest son, Dillon, moved out as he’d had two TVs and an X box ruined by water damage. 

“They’ve replaced the tiles, taps, pipes, there’s been two new ceilings and skirting boards but it’s because they haven’t got to the bottom of what’s causing it. They’re just guessing and hoping it’s fixed. 

“Every time I have a shower or bath I’m paranoid it’ll start again and there’ll be water running down the walls.”

She has also run up £230 of rent arrears, from when her eldest son was staying with her, but said a council official had measured one of the bedrooms and that it was too small for rent to be charged. 

The council believe they’ve done what they can and housing manager Russel Gray said: “We have responded to any issues and taken actions where appropriate. 

“The most recent flood was identified as a poor fitting by the plumbing so the source was quickly identified. 

“Fife Council policy is to re-instate fixtures and fittings and offer advice to the tenant to make a third party claim for personal belongings.

"The bedroom has been measured and it is deemed to be within the measurements required to be classed as a bedroom. 

“Pest Control have been working with Mrs Rhind to deal with the situation.”

Susan is set to leave the property and said: “I’m not going to live with rats any longer.

“If I was getting help and support from the council I would never have phoned the Times.

“All they’ve done is send people round for exit checks and not one asked about the rats or floods."