True North – Rat Woman

Wednesday 7 September, 10.40pm

BBC One Northern Ireland

Also on BBC iPlayer

 

Unwanted visitors of the four legged variety give most people the heebie-jeebies, but for one women dealing with troublesome rodents is all in a day’s work. In a new True North film, Rat Woman tells the story of Patricia Page who runs a family pest control business in the north west.

Patricia reveals that most clients are surprised when a female rat catcher arrives on their doorstep and how her work – pest controller and part time counsellor – involves much more than setting a trap. A degree of detective work is also required for Patricia and her team to establish how pests who pose a significant public health risk and financial cost find their way into our homes.

Patricia and colleague Conor are called to a house where the owner is concerned there are rats running amok beneath her garden shed and is afraid to let her children outside to play. Patricia says: “It is run of the mill for us, but to the likes of this lady that we are going to, sometimes they see us like superheroes coming down to save them from the big bad rats.”. Most pests are brought into homes accidentally and it is not always the result of bad housekeeping. At another home some stowaway insects have made their way into the kitchen through the back of a second hand fridge. These clients purchased more than they bargained for and Patricia and Glenn are on hand to confirm this is a cockroach infestation and treat the problem.

Michael Dunne, Patricia Page, Conor Clifford and Glenn McIntyre feature in True North: Rat Woman

The family business was started in 1975 by Patricia’s father Charlie Page who is affectionally known as ‘the rat man’. When Charlie retired Patricia took charge and has been at the helm for 30 years, even though at the beginning her father was sure she wouldn’t last a week.  There are many myths surrounding rodents including grand tales about rats as big as cats. Charlie shares a few tales of his own, revealing the biggest rat he ever caught was two feet long from nose to tail.

Where possible the team strive to remove pests humanely, and Patricia calls in a beekeeper to assist with relocating a colony of honeybees from the grounds of a local school. Together they capture the Queen Bee and safely bring 5,000 bees safely to a new hive away from the school. Patricia hopes this community spirit will reap its rewards with a nice jar of honey!

True North – Rat Woman, made by Triplevision Productions for BBC Northern Ireland, airs Wednesday 7 September at 10.40pm on BBC One Northern Ireland. Also available on BBC iPlayer.