School kitchen closed due to rats

Officials are trying to identify how the rats got in

The kitchens at a Denbighshire secondary school have been closed due to an infestation of rats.

Denbighshire Council said pest control officers from its environmental health department were dealing with the problem at Ysgol Glan Clwyd, St Asaph.

A spokeswoman said the decision to close the kitchens had been taken by the school management and it would take up to two weeks to tackle the problem.

The school said it was trying to work out the "source of entry".

Martin Davies, Ysgol Glan Clwyd's deputy head, said environmental health officials were called in on Tuesday.

He added: "They advised us to shut down the kitchens immediately while they deal with the problem.

"They're monitoring the situation very carefully and they're trying to work out the source of entry."

Letters have been sent to parents advising them hot meals would not be available and some of the school's catering team has moved to Prestatyn High School's kitchen to help prepare sandwiches and salads for pupils.

Mr Davies said: "We'd like to apologise to parents and pupils and to thank everyone for their co-operation."

The school, which has 915 students, usually provides meals for between 550 and 600 pupils, but Mr Davies said older students who had completed exams were no longer attending.