A Hampshire railway station has been branded “dangerous” after a local resident claims to have noticed a huge rise in the number of rats nearby.

Raymond Marsh, who walks a public footpath near Winchester railway station every morning, said he had seen a large number of rats in the area. He said they seem to be unafraid of humans and has voiced concern for young children using the same route.

Mr Marsh, of Courtenay Road, Winchester, said: “There are so many rats. They’re just there on the embankment, probably because of people throwing away fast food, and they are multiplying at an enormous rate.”

“The railway companies have cut down on poisoning rats for economy.”

A spokesman for the South West Trains and Network Rail Alliance denied the growth in the number of rats was as a direct result of a cost-cutting exercise and said it had responded as soon as they were informed.

“Following some reported sightings of a number of rats in the vicinity of the station, we have contacted a third party pest control company who are assisting in dealing with the situation,” he said.