A WOMAN who lives next to the UK’s biggest designer shopping centre claims she is trapped inside because of rats.

Rita Duvall Jones has neighboured Cheshire Oaks outlet, in Cheshire, for the last nine years but finds it completely bleak.

The grandma-of-eight said she struggles to keep her garden separate to the hustle and bustle of shoppers.

To make matters worse, Rita and her next door pal have been invaded by rats in recent weeks.

Blaming KFC, who back onto her garden, Rita said the restaurant rubbish area is running wild with pests – and they spill into her grass.

One night, the vermin even got at all of the bird feed her neighbour had put out.

Rita, who suffers with arthritis, told CheshireLive: “He had like a washing line on the front with birdfeeders, so of a night-time, on the camera, you could see all the rats eating the seed.

“The security light was on-off, on-off.

“I realised that the rats were passing my back door like it was the M6.”

Rita alleges she spoke to KFC about the issue however was left with no choice but to fork out cash on pest control methods herself.

Claiming one lot of exterminator cost £80, she said: “Why should I keep buying rat poison?”

A spokesperson for KFC refuted claims rats were causing issues and rubbished any pest issues at the designer outlet franchise.

They said: “We consistently work with Ecolabs and Pest Control to keep our outdoor spaces pest-free.

“Recent checks this week confirmed there were no unwanted guests, but those sneaky squirrels from the neighbouring woods might be the culprit here.

“We’ve let our local customers know that our stringent processes are successful, and we will continue to work with local authorities to ensure it remains this way.”