Letter: Smelling a rat when it comes to compost

Sir: With regard to the rat problem Jane Green has had with her compost heap ('When the rot set in', 8 June) why did no one tell her that she should put only vegetable waste on her compost heap - no cooked food, no plate scrapings, no bread, cake, pastry, meat, etc. All of obvious interest to rats.

We have had compost heaps for several years now, but use only vegetable and fruit trimmings and peelings, grass cuttings, etc, which all rot down very quickly, and have had no trouble with rats, or flies. Toads like to sit on them, though.

Yours sincerely,

SHIRLEY HANSLIP

Crowborough, East Sussex

8 June