"Rats, p*ss, litter, booze and fly-tipping" is all on show to Oldham children on their walk to school.

Estate Street in Hathershaw has become a breeding ground for rats, due to the abundance of rubbish dropped in the area, but litter-picker Linda Marchment has made it her mission to clean-up the streets.

The Oldham Times: A flattened dead rat pictured by the fly-tipA flattened dead rat pictured by the fly-tip (Image: Linda Marchment)

The 62-year-old, who has most recently cleaned up piles of waste which were fly-tipped earlier this week, has lived on the road for 39 years and told The Oldham Times how she has witnessed her neighbourhood deteriorate.

Speaking about the heaps of refuse and problem Hathershaw has with littering, she said: "It's basically around my local streets where I live, I tend to try and look after my street but this was across the road from my street.

The Oldham Times: Linda Marchment, pictured in her hi-vis while out litter-pickingLinda Marchment, pictured in her hi-vis while out litter-picking (Image: Linda Marchment)

"I've definitely seen a decline in the area as as littering is concerned, and most residents I've spoke to are frustrated and disgusted that people live like this - or even tolerate this!

"This street that I live on, parents walk their children to school off Broadway Street - that's in my mind when I see this stuff."

The Oldham Times: Fly-tip on the junction of Estate Street and Panmure Street, HathershawFly-tip on the junction of Estate Street and Panmure Street, Hathershaw (Image: Linda Marchment)

The retiree explained that nearby parents walk their children to Broadfield Primary School, on Goddard Street, passing rats on the way.

She added: "I have picked up dead rats adjacent to this, and rats are a problem around here because of the litter - I won't leave the door open for more than a second just in case they run in."

The Oldham Times: Linda Marchment claims the bottle is has been urinated inLinda Marchment claims the bottle is has been urinated in (Image: Linda Marchment)

In a post on social media, Linda slammed residents for "allowing this to be the norm".

She added: "Rats, p*ss, litter, booze and fly-tipping, all on a street that is a main route for parents taking their children to school.

The Oldham Times: Fly-tip on the junction of Estate Street and Panmure Street, HathershawFly-tip on the junction of Estate Street and Panmure Street, Hathershaw (Image: Linda Marchment)

"One little boy thanked me for picking up the rubbish. Shame on us for allowing this to be the norm that children are growing up surrounded by.

"Bin it don't dump it."

However, Linda explained that the rest of the litter had already been picked up by by the council - just a day after posting it online.