Residents in a block of flats claim they are being driven nuts by squirrels nesting in the loft of the Walsall property.

Now landlord Walsall Housing Group has promised to send out an inspection team to see whether the animals are causing damage to the low-rise flats in Walker Road, Blakenall.

Top-floor tenant Ada Evans, aged 70, said the problems had persisted over the past few weeks and that it was ruining their peace.

“It is difficult to get a good night’s sleep because the rodents scurry across the loft and make scratch noises,” she said.

“The chap next door has seen the squirrels getting twigs outside and carrying them to the roof,” she added. “He has to bang on his ceiling at night to scare them away because they make a lot of noise and disturb him.

“We can hear them scratching around up there. I can’t leave my kitchen window open because I’m worried they will climb in through the window and get into our flat and cause mayhem.”

The residents contacted Walsall Housing Group when the problem first arose but they claim the association has not yet done enough to help them.

“I’m not very happy about the response we’ve had from WHG so far,” said Mrs Evans.

“They basically told us there is nothing they can do.” Mrs Evans added: “We can’t afford to pay the get rid of these squirrels. We’re also worried in case they start chewing the electric wires in here.

“We just want WHG to come and get them out, because as far as we’re concerned they are vermin.”

Resident Mrs Doreen Lomax, 70, added: “The squirrels have been driving us mad. They are in the loft and making a lot of noise.”

Blakenall representative Councillor Pete Smith said WHG had a duty of care to ensure the health and safety of its tenants.

“It’s absolutely nuts for the housing group to say there is nothing they can do,” he said. “These people have been trying for a month to get WHG to meet their responsibilities as a landlord and resolve the problem.

“I know someone who had to pay £3,000 to repair damage to their property caused by squirrels.”

But WHG spokesman Perry Buck insisted staff were due to make a site to inspect the block.

He said: “We can block up the holes where the squirrels are using. We cannot just kill them all, but there are other things we can do to resolve it.

“If they are a danger to the property, we would have to get someone in to help us to deal with them.

“At this time of the year, the squirrels are having their young, which is another issue we have to bear in mind.”