COUNCIL bosses have rejected claims that rats could be creating serious health problems in a Darlington park.

Resident June Shute said two of her dogs, a Staffordshire bull terrier and a lurcher, had to be put down in the past four months after contracting leptospirosis.

The potentially fatal infection affects humans and animals, and can be passed on by rats.

Ms Shute, who lives with her partner in Vancouver Street, said the Denes park area had a rat problem and that led to the death of her pets, Thomas and Sage.

She said Darlington Borough Council was doing nothing to eradicate the problem.

"We have asked them to make the public aware but they won't," she said.

A council spokeman said: "We haven't got any increases in rats in the Denes and we haven't had any reports, other than from these people.

"We have spoken to the two main veterinary surgeons in Darlington and they have not got any increases in the numbers of dogs with leptospirosis. It is prevalent in a number of animals, not just rats."