Council bosses have been unable to explain the rise

Complaints about rodents have jumped from 1,012 between April and July 2003, to 1,638 for the same period this year.

June saw double the amount of calls about rats compared to last year, according to council figures.

"It is very difficult to say why there has been an increase in complaints about rats", said David Bithell Manager of Wigan Public Health Services.

Mr Bithell said the council would be investigating the rat rise.

The council has also had 808 calls about mice in the period April to July compared to 449 for the same time last year.

It is also reporting more than double the amount of complaints over the past four months about wasps, bees, ants and flying ants compared to last year.