Britain's biggest army base 'overrun' by platoon of rats amid fly-tipping spree

Evidence captured shortly after the most recent waste collection revealed extensive accumulations of bin bags overflowing from designated disposal points.

Debris scattered across lawns beneath residential quarters provides additional breeding grounds for the rodent population.

The garrison serves as the training ground for all British infantry soldiers and houses units from multiple regiments, including the Intelligence Corps, Royal Lancers, Royal Yorkshire Regiment and Royal Military Police.

An officer stationed at the base said: "There are mountains of bin bags piling up around the camp and rats everywhere. Litter has blown literally all over the camp outside the accommodation blocks."

They told MailOnline: "This is my home. Waking up every morning and having to walk past maggots and rats and piles of rubbish. It's just horrible."

Colonel Philip Ingram, who previously commanded the Intelligence Corps at the facility, condemned the situation as a "failure" involving both base commanders and the local authority.

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He added: "It's failure in the Catterick commanders to deal with the local council, and it's a failure of support from the local council."

The deteriorating environment is severely affecting military personnel's willingness to remain in service, an anonymous officer, who revealed the crisis is "absolutely pushing people to sign off in the force", claimed.

"Our job absolutely has negatives, but one of the benefits is meant to be life when you're on camp, but at the moment, no one wants to be here," the insider added.

The situation has become immediately apparent to newcomers, with the source noting: "Literally, the first thing that people note when they turn up here now is how poor the situation is, cleanliness wise."

North Yorkshire Council bears responsibility for waste collection at the garrison, according to the Ministry of Defence [MoD], despite the authority being among the first nationally to sign the Armed Forces Covenant.

The 2021 Armed Forces Act legally obligates councils to prevent service personnel from facing disadvantages when accessing public services.

A MoD spokesman stated: "We are urgently working with the Council, which is responsible for collecting rubbish from the base, so that collections can be made and to ensure a high-quality living and working environment for our personnel."

The department confirmed that "proactive pest control measures are in place on the site and we are dealing with any issues as they arise".

North Yorkshire Council's executive member for managing our environment, Cllr Richard Foster, added: "We understand the concerns raised at Catterick Garrison and the impact the current situation is having on the daily lives of our servicemen and women and will be revisiting the site this week.

"We are committed to finding a solution and are working closely with the Ministry of Defence to do so. We have encountered issues where incorrect items have been placed in bins put out for collection, and this has meant they have not been able to be taken away.

"We would encourage all residents to dispose of their waste correctly. This includes using the correct bins for different types of waste, recycling whenever possible, and ensuring that bins are properly closed when placed for collection.

"Our website, www.northyorks.gov.uk/what-goes-in-your-bin, has plenty of helpful advice when it comes to waste and recycling, and our customer service team will be happy to assist residents with any queries or questions they may have."