Sprowston mum records rat running up stairs of her home

Kayleigh Clarke moved to her home in Sprowston five years ago, where she lives with her 18-month-old son and four-year-old daughter.

At the beginning of the year, on January 3, Kayleigh first spotted signs of the rodents running amok in her home. 

Kayleigh found food had been eaten in her home by the rats (Image: Kayleigh Clarke)

Two months later and the 26-year-old says it is "disgusting" that housing association Clarion haven't helped relocate her.

Kayleigh said: "I realised there was a tunnel behind my washing machine in the kitchen and rubble began appearing from it.

"I got on the phone with the council the next day to try and sort things.

"Surveyors came around about a week later and cemented up the hole but it wasn't properly as since then I've seen bite marks in our food and rat droppings all around the house.

"On February 22 I woke up about 3.30am as I heard something downstairs and saw this huge rat running up the stairs and so did my daughter.

"She's absolutely traumatised by it and is so scared of it happening again.

The rat, which was caught on video by Kayleigh, running up her stairs last month (Image: Kayleigh Clarke)

"We moved to my sister's last week but it's not suitable for us and now I've been told by Clarion it's acceptable for us to move back home.

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"It's a joke - I can't believe they're trying to put me and my children back into a rat-infested home.

Kayleigh Clarke, with her one-year-old son and four-year-old daughter (Image: Kayleigh Clarke)

"It's absolutely disgusting."

Kayleigh contacted Broadland District Council which said it had passed her concerns over to Clarion.

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A spokesman for Broadland said: "If the property is unsuitable it falls to the landlord to move their tenant into temporary accommodation or another suitable home - which is Clarion.

The hole behind the washing machine in Kayleigh's home, which was covered by cement (Image: Kayleigh Clarke)

"We've forwarded Miss Clarke’s concern to the managers there and we've offered additional support through our Help Hub partners."

Housing association Clarion has been contacted for comment on the matter.

Kayleigh said her four-year-old daughter is traumatised by the video incident (Image: Kayleigh Clarke)