A DARFIELD woman is kept up at night by the sound of squirrels scratching in the roof.

Tracey Winfield, 40, of Rose Avenue, says slates are missing and she has been asking Berneslai Homes to repair the roof for 18 months.

She said: "I can sort of see the funny side. They are very clever, but it's not nice having them in your house. You don't know what germs and diseases they've got.

"I'm angry too because I've been telling the council to get the roof sorted for 18 months since wind brought slates off. In February I reminded them and they said they had no record of the repairs. They never lose your name when they want rent."

The squirrels have chewed holes in boxes of Christmas decorations in the attic. The creatures were first spotted by workmen putting a fence up in the back garden.

Mark Kemp, of Meynall's Fencing, said: "I saw one on top of next door's fence. It ran about 40ft along the top of the fence, climbed up the side of the house, went along their roof, along Tracey's roof, and then into the hole where there's a slate missing.

"But they will be nesting up there and they are vermin."

Tracey said when she reported the problem to the council, they told her she would have to pay £83 for pest control to remove them.