An invasion of rats has destroyed crops and broken the hearts of dedicated allotment holders.

This week Rodgers Najoli, 51, of Farnham Road, Slough surveyed the lovingly tended crop of corn and maize that he has spent two years cultivating at the Stoke Road allotments, as he described what has happened.

He said he realised in August as the long heat wave came to a close that something was wrong, when a neighbouring allotment holder pointed out that rats could be seen clinging onto the maize trees.

Soon the trees had been stripped, leaving dried up hanging cobs with all the bright yellow corn eaten away.

Mr Najoli says his neighbours on the allotment have all suffered similarly.

He said: "One man has covered his crop with plastic bottles in an attempt to keep the rats away."

Allotment holders on the site pay £28 annually to Slough Borough Council and are not allowed to sell their produce commercially.

But Mr Najoli, who has lived in Slough for 15 years, said: "Last year I really enjoyed being able to entertain my friends from the church with food I had grown here. I'm from Kenya and grew up on a farm so I was delighted to get an allotment and the opportunity to start growing my own food."

Mr Najoli is a support worker at Arbour Vale School, working with children with learning difficulties. He has a grown up son and lives with his wife Diana.

He said: "When you have invested a lot of time, coming in every morning before going to work to make sure the trees are watered and coming back at the end of the day just to give the rats a feast, it is very disappointing."

He called on Slough Borough Council to get its experts to work to try and find a way of controlling the rats next year, although it is too late for this year's crop.

He said: "I understand the council was approached a month ago and we are waiting to hear back."