A couple were forced to abandon their holiday at a luxury resort after reporting seeing rats ‘running absolutely everywhere’.
Helen Davidson and her partner had booked three nights away at Tattershall Lakes Country Park, Lincolnshire, earlier this month.
However, just two months into their long-awaited trip, they decided they would have no choice but to cut their trip short and return home due to allegedly witnessing an influx of rats.
Ms Davidson, of Grantham, explained they had never been to the site before but they ‘heard good reviews about the place, and a lot of friends have been, and the other half wanted to go fishing’.
At a cost of £610 for three nights, their lodge was in the Lancaster Crescent part of the site and booked from June 17th to June 20th.
Ms Davidson said that it was during the morning of their first day at the resort that she ‘first saw a few rats, about two or three darting about’ but that she initially ‘didn’t think anything of it’.
Recalling the ‘apocalyptic’ moment, she said: ‘They were just going under everyone’s lodges. Then about 7 o’clock that evening it was like the zombie apocalypse, they all just came out – they were all up that side of the bank on Lancaster Crescent.’
‘They are just not scared of humans.’ The 46-year-old added: ‘Probably that evening there was about 10 to 15 of them out there, running absolutely everywhere.’
The couple and their neighbours for the holiday also reported watching the rats ‘run underneath each other’s caravans’.
Ms Davidson, who described the situation as ‘horrible’, added: ‘We were gone by 8 o’clock the following morning.
‘You don’t mind seeing the odd one or two as you are near the lakes but that was ridiculous.’
Ms Davidson emailed Tattershall Lakes Country Park upon her return home but said she received a response that said the couple should have ‘expected to see some small rats because it’s in a countryside location.’
Believing she will be unlikely to get her money back, Ms Davidson now feels that more should be done to prevent rats from getting to the lodges, and is concerned about the health impact it could have on families with young children.
Holiday park operator Away Resorts, who the couple booked the trip through, are now investigating Ms Davidson’s complaints.
A spokesperson for Away Resorts said: ‘We’re very sorry to hear about Helen Davidson’s recent experience at our park and want to apologise for the upset caused.
‘We take all guest feedback extremely seriously and understand how upsetting this situation must have been. While our parks are in rural settings where wildlife can sometimes be present, we have strict pest control measures in place and work closely with professional contractors to manage any issues swiftly.’
They added: ‘We are actively investigating this matter in full to ensure any necessary actions are taken. We remain committed to maintaining the high standards we uphold across all our resorts.