A MUIRKIRK mum has been driven batty after her house was over run by unwanted visitors.

Gillian Byrne says she is at her wits' end after the council said there was little they could do to remove bats that were roosting in the walls of her home.

The nocturnal mammals have been living in the walls of her bedroom and been making her life a nightmare for the last year.

Gillian lives in her council property in Colthart Drive with her husband Nicholas and her son, also Nicholas.

Gillian says the smell of bat pee in her bedroom is so bad that she and Nicholas have resorted to sleeping on the living room floor.

The bats are managing to get in to the property through a tiny crack under a window.

Asthmatic Gillian has been left concerned for her health and says that the ammonia from the urine could trigger an asthma attack.

She said: "I suffer from very bad asthma and this isn't helping at all.

"East Ayrshire Council expect me to pay full rent and full council tax.

"It started away back last year and I have had to put up with it for the last year.

"The noise of the bats inside the walls doesn't bother me. That's not the issue. It's the smell. It's disgusting."

Gillian says that she has contacted the council, but the matter has still not been resolved.

She added: "I pay full rent and council tax and we are being forced to sleep on the living room floor because the bedroom is so bad.

"I don't want to be moved, I just want something done about it.

"You can hear them scratching inside of the walls.

"Every morning I have to use buckets of water to dowse my windows and stairs because they are covered in bat poop."

"The council just seem to be brushing me off and it's not good enough."

East Ayrshire Council have said that their hands are tied in how much they can actually do.

East Ayrshire Council’s Head of Housing and Communities, Katie Kelly said: “Our immediate concern is for our tenants and their wellbeing, during this unfortunate and frustrating situation.

“Bats have significant legal protection, strictly limiting the action we can take. We’ve met with the Byrnes, advised them of these constraints and have assured them we’ll do everything in our power to help find a speedy solution to the matter.”

By law bat roosts can not be disturbed.

Scottish Natural Heritage's mammal specialist, Robert Raynor said: “Bats have suffered major declines historically, and they remain vulnerable to the loss of secure roost sites. They have a low reproductive rate and females usually only give birth to one young each year. They are also important indicators of the overall health of the natural environment. For these reasons, both bats and their roost sites are protected by law in Scotland. It’s an offence to deliberately or recklessly kill, injure or disturb a wild bat and to obstruct or disturb a bat roost, even if bats are not present at the time.

“But if bats are causing problems in someone’s home as they are in this case, then work can be done at the right time of year in a way that doesn’t harm the animals. If you have bats in your house and are looking for advice, please phone the Bats in Houses Helpline: 01463 725165 or email batsinhouses@snh.gov.uk.”