Rats are more common in spring as it’s peak breeding season, and experts warn that storing certain items outdoors can attract the rodents to your garden. Here’s what you need to know

The prospect of rats infiltrating your garden is universally unwelcome, which is why identifying straightforward deterrent methods is crucial. What many don’t realise is that spring is actually one of the peak seasons for rats attempting to access people’s properties, as it coincides with their breeding period, meaning homeowners must remain alert.

This results in heightened activity around homes, which means you’re more likely to encounter them in your garden throughout April. However, keeping certain items outdoors can actually lure them in, meaning you must be mindful about what you store in your garden and how these things are put away.

Indeed, there are several things demanding your attention this spring. Rats could infiltrate your property quite easily if you leave particular items outside.

As spring sunshine begins to emerge, most of us will be making trips to the garden centre to purchase soil and compost, and frequently, those extra bags end up stashed beneath the decking to maintain a tidy patio.

It appears a perfectly logical solution but, according to Allan Jeffrey, gardening expert at Ultra Decking, it’s amongst the most frequent ways homeowners inadvertently welcome pests into their garden.

Whilst compost might be excellent for your flowerbeds, it’s also a magnet for rodents and insects, especially when it’s positioned in the dark, damp environment that exists beneath most decking. There are several reasons it’s so appealing to the wrong sort of visitors.

Compost bags are brimming with organic matter and retain moisture, creating precisely the sort of warm, damp conditions that rats and mice seek out when nesting season begins in spring. And it’s not only rodents you need to worry about.

Ants and soil-dwelling insects are attracted to identical conditions and, once they’ve established themselves near your decking or fencing, they can prove remarkably difficult to remove.

Once rats and mice take up residence, the issues tend to escalate. Allan explained: “Nesting rats are a big problem. Their numbers grow quickly, and they’ll soon start gnawing through garden structures like your decking, your fencing and that kind of damage doesn’t come cheap.”

Firewood is another potential hazard. “Those storing leftover winter logs under their decking are also at risk,” he continued. “Timber that’s picked up moisture over winter is the perfect hiding place for wood-boring insects, and that’s when the real damage starts.”

How to store your garden supplies

Allan suggests a simple strategy to keep pests away:

• Elevate and ventilate. Store compost bags and firewood on a raised platform at least one to two metres away from the house and any timber structures. Good airflow prevents moisture from building up and makes the spot far less appealing to pests.
• Switch to sealed bins. If you have little space, decant compost into heavy-duty plastic bins with clip-on lids. These are much harder for rodents and insects to get into.
• Do a 60-second check. Get a torch and take a quick look under your decking for early warning signs – shredded plastic, small entry holes or dark droppings. Catching things early is nearly always the difference between a quick tidy-up and a costly pest control call-out.

A touch of organisation now can prevent considerable trouble down the line, and ensures you can properly enjoy your garden this summer. If you suspect rats are nearby, get in touch with a pest control specialist for guidance.

Forensics: The Real CSI has returned for its sixth series, following West Midlands Police investigating serious crimes

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A true crime documentary series hailed as the “best programme” on television is set to broadcast another gripping instalment this evening.

Forensics: The Real CSI has made its return to BBC Two for a sixth series, immersing audiences in the real-time pressures facing a regional police force.

Working against the clock, the documentary follows West Midlands Police Force as they tackle serious offences, spotlighting the forensic analysis that assembles crucial evidence throughout investigations.

Audiences observe specialist officers advancing cases, frequently operating with minimal or non-existent leads. Packed with disorder and disturbing revelations, the documentary has been declared essential viewing for true crime enthusiasts.

READ MORE: True crime doc explores unsolved cold case as chilling plea issuedREAD MORE: ‘Heartbreaking’ true crime documentary on ITV is a ‘must watch’

This evening’s episode (Sunday, March 29) airs at 9pm, entitled Intruder in the Bedroom. It examines a distressing 999 emergency call placed by a worried mother whose daughter came home from her father’s residence with a deeply troubling disclosure, reports the Mirror.

A BBC synopsis states: “A mother calls 999. Her 11-year-old daughter has returned from staying at her dad’s house, saying that a stranger came into her bedroom in the night and sexually assaulted her.

“A forensic team immediately heads to the crime scene, and the house is examined for potential forensic evidence the suspect may have left behind.”

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Since returning to BBC Two this month, numerous viewers have proclaimed it the “best programme” on television, describing it as unmissable for true crime devotees.

One viewer remarked on X: “Now is this worth watching.” Another posted: “If you want a deeply depressing insight into the state of everything in the Uk watch #forensicstherealCSI on BBC.”

A third observed: “Shocking case #Forensicstherealcsi”, while a fourth stated: “I watched ‘Forensics the real CSI’ last night on BBC2 Absolutely shocking and horrific episode. Makes me never want to go out at night time alone ever again So frightening.”

On Facebook, one viewer declared: “I love this programme even better that 24hrs on police custody.” Another commented: “This is the best TV programme.”

Earlier this month, West Midlands Police had highlighted the disturbing series, prompting one viewer to note: “Just watched, truly disturbing.”

Forensics: The Real CSI will air tonight (March 29) on BBC Two at 9pm. Episodes are also available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Aberdeen City Council recently scrapped its fleet of 25 hydrogen-powered vehicles and did no cost comparison with cheaper electric buses.

A council is facing questions over its decision to spend million of pounds on hydrogen buses – three times more costly than electric vehicles.

Aberdeen City Council recently scrapped its fleet of 25 hydrogen double-deckers after they spent more than a year parked and unused in a depot due to a lack of fuel.

Experts said the £8.3million in taxpayer cash splashed on the city scheme – paid for by the Scottish Government, the council and European funds – has been a “scandalous” waste of money since launching five years ago.

Studies have found electric buses are up to three times cheaper to run than hydrogen.

Last year, the council admitted it held no data comparing costs between the hydrogen fleet, operated by First Aberdeen, and battery-electric buses.

Professor Tom Baxter, professor in chemical engineering at Strathclyde University, said: “As taxpayers we should be looking for value for money.

“Government and councils have an obligation to make sure they’re doing that when they’re using the public purse.

“It doesn’t look like it’s happened at all here.”

In a freedom of information request to Aberdeen City Council last spring, Prof Baxter had asked for “the original work that justified hydrogen buses over electric” and “any cost comparisons from the initial hydrogen decision to date”.

In response, the council said it did not hold this information, arguing they did not deliver bus services directly despite conceding its “involvement with purchasing of hydrogen buses”.

Prof Baxter told the Sunday Mail: “The council should have been on top of it and making sure it was on track, delivering what was expected and still looking like a value proposition to continue funding it.

“The council said they didn’t have information about comparison costs from First Bus. That speaks volumes to me about due diligence.

“It’s an appalling situation and a scandalous use of taxpayer’s money.”

We told last week of the collapse of the Aberdeen deal – linked to Tory donor Jo Bamford, son of JCB billionaire Lord Bamford, who runs hydrogen bus manufacturer Wrightbus which built the Aberdeen double-deckers.

We also revealed how taxpayers are on the hook for more than £54million in Scottish Government backing for hydrogen schemes across the country.

Aberdeen’s hydrogen strategy was a partnership between the city council and oil giant BP.

Critics say intense lobbying by fossil fuel interests have led to public money going on hydrogen schemes.

Typically, the fuel source used to create hydrogen is natural gas, with technologies to use green sources instead still in the early stages of development.

In 2022 we told how Bamford’s Wrightbus was behind the world’s first double decker powered by the gas, with the firm winning multi-million pound publicly funded contracts to supply vehicles across the UK.

In the years since, cities with hydrogen bus fleets like Dundee, London, Belfast, Birmingham and Liverpool have faced operational difficulties or dropped the schemes.

Aberdeen City Council said it is in discussions with BP about “the future viability of the hydrogen hub, prompted by significant advancements in electric vehicle (EV) technology”.

A spokeswoman added: “As manufacturers and operators increasingly favour EVs, demand for hydrogen in transport has diminished. In light of these developments, both parties are reassessing their strategic direction to align with the evolving market landscape.”

According to Robinson, therein lies the problem for Tuchel and England – Friday’s game played out more like a trial than a quest for “cohesion” and “team performance”.

“You got the impression watching the game that individuals were trying too hard in certain situations,” said Robinson. “They looked like a bunch of trialists trying to impress a manager to get through to the next stage of that trial.

“It really stunk of a performance of players who were playing for a place on the plane for self gain rather than team gain. It was a difficult watch at times.

“He created that atmosphere by naming that 35-man squad.

“You can’t dress it up any other way, Thomas Tuchel can say he’s looking at all these players, that we’re going to play this way, this is what we’re doing, it’s a team… that’s nonsense. It was an individual trial game.”

Tuchel, however, said he had “learned a lot” from the draw.

“You just see it in the details,” he added. “You learn a lot in the details, how is the behaviour and you see the level. I’m happy that we did it the way we did it.”

A revised 27-man squad is now preparing for Tuesday’s match against Japan at Wembley, with eight players due to leave the camp.

John Stones is returning to Manchester City having picked up an issue in training, while Arsenal trio Noni Madueke, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have also gone back to their club for medical assessment.

Adam Wharton, Aaron Ramsdale, Fikayo Tomori and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are the others to drop out.

Once that Japan game is out the way, England have two more friendly games against New Zealand on 6 June and Costa Rica on 10 June.

The World Cup gets under way 24 hours later.

Prisons can’t be left to become ­fiefdoms for organised crime gangs, says Mail Opinion.

Rife use of illegal phones and drugs in Scotland’s prisons, uncovered in today’s Sunday Mail, will appal many. Lags are using smartphones to post bragging videos on TikTok about their cushy lives, painting a picture of an anarchic, out-of-control prison system.

Shocking footage reveals cons at Shotts, Barlinnie and privately run Addiewell jails enjoying raves fuelled by high-potency cannabis resin ­products.

Others show prisoners gorging on Mars Bars and fizzy juice. None of these images should exist because prisoners aren’t supposed to have mobiles in the first place.

A disastrous Covid-era policy allowing cons to have phones was roundly abused, contributing to drug deals and violence, and jails are still dealing with the aftermath.

But just as concerning is the message these videos send to victims of crime. No one expects prisoners in the 21st century to live in dungeons but, at the end of the day, it’s a punishment… not a holiday.

What hope do these men have for rehabilitation if they’re allowed to smuggle drugs and phones into jails with impunity? Prisons can’t be left to become ­fiefdoms for organised crime gangs. Discipline must be restored.

Make them work for it

The Holyrood election show is officially on the road with ­politicians making pitstops this weekend looking for your vote.

Beware: at any point these budding MSPs might appear before you, ­chapping on your door and thrusting leaflets in your face. Expect the usual promises, bluster and cross-party sniping.

Yet this is a serious election for serious times. The Iran war threatens a new cost-of-living crisis and our public services are under real pressure.

Every five years we go through this rigmarole as the party leaders vow this and that, debate one another and do daft photo-ops all over the country.

At times, it seems like a circus but, actually, the power is with us now. We’ve got every right to demand better from our politicians. Whoever you’re voting for when polling day comes on May 7, make them earn it.

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The truth about this contest is if it wasn’t a World Cup year the entire thing would be largely irrelevant, but it’s deeply relevant because Scotland are on the clock now.

Time is ticking. Ivory Coast on Tuesday, Curacao on 30 May, a flight to America the next day, a final friendly in New Jersey in early June – and then the big show.

Scotland need momentum, they need to crash rather than limp into the World Cup, they need to hit the ground running. They had, and did, none of these things at the Euros in Germany. The power they had in qualification dissipated during the warm-up games. They arrived at the Euros searching for confidence and failed to find it.

That would have been one of the big takeaways from that tournament – the need to hold on to the energy and feelgood that got them there in the first place.

Scotland still have time to regain it before America. A rousing performance against Ivory Coast – ranked 35 in the world to Scotland’s 40 – in Liverpool and they’ll be where they want to be. After that, Curacao at home. A win against the world number 82 to send them on their way, surely?

Clarke’s team are becoming a bit of an enigma, a curiosity that’s hard to read. The performances rise and fall. It’s hard to get an angle on where they’re at.

Take their games in qualification. Tremendously resilient in Copenhagen in getting a goalless draw in round one, ultra professional in beating Belarus in round two.

Then, a bizarre 3-1 win at home to Greece on a night when the visitors were by far the better side, followed by a 2-1 win against Belarus that led to so many players, and Clarke, expressing disappointment in the most brutal and graphic terms. John McGinn described the pair of victories as “jobby” performances.

Next, to Greece. Losing 3-0 – it could have been been five had it not been for Craig Gordon’s heroics – Scotland rallied and eventually lost 3-2. They were heading for the play-off until Belarus did them the most enormous favour in Copenhagen.

So, a mix of bottle and luck got them to the big showdown against Denmark where sheer class and never-say-die took them the rest of the way. This Scotland team has many faces.

Saturday was a return to their reserved selves when, really, you wanted to see the warriors of November, or at least a version of them. All eyes on Tuesday night, then, and Scotland’s search for the intensity and vitality we know they have.

Clarke has promised six or seven changes. The new blood need to infuse Scotland with some verve. Now is not the time to go into their shell. Against Ivory Coast, they need to come out fighting.

The inflatable octopus, which was set to appear as part of a free Family Friendly Saturday event organised by York BID, was set to appear in King’s Staith with performances scheduled for 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm.

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A spokesperson at the event told onlookers: “Sorry, it’s unsafe for our performer. It’s just too windy,” with the BID adding on their Instagram page that they were “so sorry” for the cancellation and any further updates would be shared to their stories.

Due to high winds, the tentacled puppet was moved to Tower Gardens with its 2pm show cancelled at the last minute because of the weather conditions.

The performance was unable to go ahead due to the high winds (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

The 4pm and 6pm are set to go ahead in the Coppergate Centre, according to an update from the York BID team.

The Giant Inflatable Octopus is York BID’s seventh Family Friendly Saturday, following six successful 2025 events that attracted thousands of families into the city centre for free early-evening experiences.

Searches are continuing for missing teenager Declan Berry

Searches are continuing for missing teen Declan Berry after a fatal car crash near Wisbech St Mary. Emergency services have been at North Brink since the evening of March 17, following reports that a car containing five people had entered the water.

The car, which contained four other people, aged between 16 and 18, entered the River Nene at North Brink at about 8.20pm. Specialist dive teams recovered the body of a 16-year-old girl, who was believed to be a rear seat passenger in the car.

It was confirmed that Eden Bunn, from Sutton Bridge, was recovered from the water. The three other people involved – two girls aged 16 and an 18-year-old boy – got out of the vehicle and were taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in King’s Lynn, with non-life-threatening injuries.

In a tribute, Eden’s parents, Lisa and Dean, her brother Jay, sister Shelby and nephew Axl said: “Eden was the kindest, most loving girl we could ever wish for. Her horses – Daisy and Dolly – were her world, and she was ours. Words cannot describe the tragedy that will stay with us until we are able to meet her again.”

Declan Berry, 18, from Wisbech, is believed to have been driving the blue VW Polo when it entered the water. The car was recovered on March 22 but specialist teams continue to search for Declan.

In a tribute, Declan’s family and friends said: “We are absolutely devastated beyond words and ask for privacy during this tragic time.”

Detective Inspector Craig Wheeler, from the Road Policing Unit, said: “We are still actively searching for Declan along the River Nene. We continue to support his family, who were present today when the vehicle was recovered. My thoughts remain with the families and friends of Eden Bunn and Declan Berry during this awful time.”

Police continue to appeal for witnesses and dashcam footage. Anyone with information is asked to quote incident 515 of 17 March and report it through the force website those without internet access should call 101.

Manchester United aren’t allowing the international break to impede their pursuits ahead of a hectic summer transfer window

While many across the Premier League may regard the international break as an opportunity for a breather, Manchester United certainly don’t. Updates continue to flow from Old Trafford during what has proved to be a highly productive spell for the club.

Michael Carrick’s credentials for securing the permanent manager’s position continue to strengthen as United reflect on their recent progress. The club icon has suffered defeat just once across his 10 matches in charge, boasting a flawless winning record in five outings at Old Trafford.

His work this campaign is far from complete, though preparations for what could prove another transformative transfer window are already in motion. Last summer witnessed United complete several signings who have played a significant role in the turnaround, and Carrick will be hoping he remains in post to oversee proceedings this year.

The atmosphere surrounding United could scarcely be more positive compared to the despondency that prevailed when Ruben Amorim departed in January. MEN Sport examines the latest developments at the club as United gear up for their return to action against Leeds in a fortnight’s time.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

United receive update on Baleba fee

After being blown away by Brighton’s valuation of the player last summer, United have been handed a significant boost in their pursuit of Carlos Baleba. Following a late enquiry about the midfielder’s availability, United quickly withdrew upon discovering the Seagulls were demanding in excess of £100million for his signature.

In the current market and considering the campaign Baleba had just completed, some clubs may well have matched that asking price. However, Brighton have apparently revised their expectations following the 22-year-old’s reduced impact this season.

The Sun reported Brighton are now considerably more receptive to a deal than they were 12 months previously. Having had the opportunity to process the situation and identify a replacement, the Seagulls would also accept a lower fee for their star.

England’s 2026 World Cup kits

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United certainly appear destined to recruit midfield reinforcements. Casemiro has already confirmed he’ll be departing, while speculation linking captain Bruno Fernandes with an exit continues to persist.

Precisely how much Brighton have adjusted their valuation of Baleba, who arrived from Lille for an initial £23.2m in 2023, remains uncertain. A cautious projection would suggest the south coast outfit expects to at least triple that sum should they sell this summer, assuming United maintain the same level of interest.

Dalot says Carrick and Amorim ‘not that different’

Diogo Dalot has surprisingly offered the view that interim United manager Carrick hasn’t altered things dramatically at United compared to when Amorim was at the helm. Nevertheless, the most significant adjustment to United’s system has enabled the side to rediscover their spark going forward.

United have collected 23 points from a possible 30 in the league since Carrick assumed control in January. This contrasts with a haul of just 14 points from the preceding 10 league fixtures under Amorim, several of which appeared more manageable on paper.

Dalot, 27, has been a constant presence under both managers and offered fascinating insight into the distinctions between the two. Yet it was actually the full-back’s observations on how the coaching approaches are comparable that was most surprising.

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Speaking to DAZN Portugal, he said: “If you analyse it closely, things are not that different from what we were doing with Ruben. If you look at the pieces of the game individually, you don’t see that many differences. The biggest difference is the profile of the player. Now we play with one less defender and one more attacking player.

“As I say many times, at the end of the day what really matters is the result. When confidence is high, with the quality of players we have, sometimes you don’t even need to say much and players go on the pitch and perform well.”