article_snippet.sent: Newcastle is officially the most pest-infested place in the country with 5 per cent of those living on Tyneside reporting problems with rats, cockroaches, wasps and other creepy crawlies.
article_snippet.sent: Birmingham was followed by the City of London where 4.9 per cent of people reported problems, and in Knowsley, Merseyside, 3.4 per cent of residents were forced to call in exterminators.
article_snippet.sent: Five per cent of residents in Newcastle, more than 6,000 people, called in pest inspectors last year - making Tyneside residents the most likely to report a problem (file image)
article_snippet.sent: The figures, released by the British Pest Control Association, also revealed that the most pest-free place was Southend, in Essex, where 0.03 per cent of homeowners had a problem.
article_snippet.sent: For example, while rats and cockroaches are particularly common in large cities such as London, areas such as Fife, in Scotland, are much more prone to ants.
article_snippet.sent: While inner-city areas such as Birmingham and London were plagued by rats and cockroaches, more rural areas such as North Lanarkshire were overrun by wasps (pictured)
article_snippet.sent: Meanwhile, residents of North Lanarkshire in Scotland were the most likely to report problems with wasps.
highlights_snippet.sent: Newcastle residents were most likely to report pest problem last year .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: The most pest-free place was Southend, in Essex, according to survey .
  