AN Ilkley resident is warning that a Bradford Council recycling scheme could lead to unwelcome visitors in the town's gardens.

Stephen Chambers, 50, of Springs Lane, took up Bradford Council's offer to buy a large plastic compost bin, at a subsidised cost of £15, for his garden.

The bin was put directly on the soil as per instructions and soon filled with peelings from the kitchen and other garden waste. Soon, from marks on the soil, Mr Chambers began to notice that the compost bin had been attracting the attention of a rat.

"He decided he was on to a good thing and moved in," said Mr Chambers, who spent the next few weeks trying to get rid of the unwelcome tenant.

A council pest control officer put down poisoned bait but Mr Chambers said the rat enjoyed it so much it dragged it into the compost heap to finish off later.

Finally, the exasperated Mr Chambers had to get rid of his compost completely in order to get rid of the rat and the bin stands empty in his garden.

Mr Chambers said: "I just think these plastic things are obviously encouraging them. I think it is a joke the design of them for a start - they are creating a problem for the community.

"The pest control man said 'I am visiting them all the time'." Bradford Council's environment boss, Ilkley Conservative Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, said she would look into whether the council compost bins were proving a magnet for rats.

"I always said I think there are problems with composting and rats. Composting attracts rats but I do not believe the actual bins are causing rat infestation - it is a wider problem," said Coun Hawkesworth.

Keith Thompson (Lab, Wibsey) was formerly in charge of the committee which promoted the sale of compost bins. He said he still believed in the of bins which, if used properly, cut down the amount of greenhouse gas released into the environment, saved space on landfill sites, and helped to improve the productivity of the soil in people's gardens.

Coun Thompson said: "It could well be that the rat was looking for somewhere to nest. It certainly isn't a reason for stopping home composting. I would not want people to stop using them.

"If the rat wasn't there it would be somewhere else nearby. The cost of making the bins rat proof would put people off buying them.

"Around £75 would be ridiculous and I don't consider the problem to be that excessive. You could put some bricks around the compost bin and make sure the lid is on properly. And make sure the compost is completely vegetarian."

A spokesman for Bradford's cleansing department said: "We have sold around 10,000 compost bins and this is the first time this problem has been brought to our attention.

"It may have arisen because rats may have moved closer to houses due to recent flooding in the district.

"However, there is a simple solution. Residents who are worried about this should place a sturdy wire mesh of 6mm spacing underneath the bin that will prevent rodents burrowing in while also allowing the compost to drain naturally.

Mr Chambers also believes that the rat could have been attracted by the rubbish which he said was regularly left by Ilkley Grammar School pupils during lunchtimes in the area.

"They leave a trail from the town up Cowpasture Road and along Springs Lane every lunchtime and chuck their rubbish over the walls," he said.

Following an earlier complaint about pupils dropping litter, Grammar School head teacher Peter Wood promised to make sure the problem was dealt with.