Pressure is growing for the army to clean up thousands of tonnes of rubbish posing a major health hazard in Birmingham after it emerged black bags could remain piled on pavements for months. Monster rats are seen “on a daily basis” on the streets of Britain’s second-largest city, with one pest controller catching a 22-inch rodent – the size of a small dog.

With Conservatives focusing on chaos in Labour-run Birmingham in the run up to local elections, Sir Keir Starmer despatched local government minister Jim McMahon to the city to meet council leaders and demand they agree a deal with union Unite, which represents striking bin workers. The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “We want to see an agreement reached immediately.”

MPs said there is evidence that people with existing medical conditions such as respiratory illnesses are suffering serious health effects and there is concern about children forced to walk through mounds of rotting rubbish on the way to school as warm weather makes the stench worse.

Birmingham City Council, which has declared a major incident, said more than 17,000 tonnes of waste remains uncollected across the city thanks to an all-out strike that began last month following intermittent walk-outs, and nearly 900 tonnes is added to the pile every day.

But the authority admitted it will take many weeks to clean the streets even once the strike ends, with no end to industrial action currently in sight.

Majid Mahmood, the councillor in charge of waste collection, told a council meeting: “It will take us a fortnight, possibly three/four weeks, to try and get us back to where we should be in terms of the delivery of the service for the people.

“But after that, it’ll take us at least three/four weeks to get the clean-up of the city as to where we want it to be.”

Independent city MP Ayoub Khan is urging the Government to send in the army, after soldiers cleaned up streets hit by bin strikes in the 1970s.

He told the Express: “The 17,000 tonnes of rubbish that is building up as we speak is not going to be cleaned up even if the strikes were called off today. It would take weeks and possibly even months to clear the rubbish.

“You need the manpower to clean the streets, There is rubbish everywhere. On corners, in the streets. Bags are torn. There is litter everywhere.

“We can get the army to come in to help out just like they did in the 1970s.”

He added: “You have got people with respiratory illnesses, you have children having to pass through rubbish to get to school. It’s a dire situation.”

Former Conservative government minister Edwina Curry, who was a Birmingham councillor before becoming an MP, has also called on the army to help.

The armed forces could become involved if what is known as a Military Aid to the Civil Authorities request was received from the local authority or a Government department but it’s understood no such request has been made so far.

William Timms, who runs WJ Pest Solutions, revealed police had been called out to shoot rats due to the sheer volume of vermin plaguing the second city.

Revealing he caught a 22 inch rat last week, he said: “Rats the size of kittens are being seen daily. I had one last week that measured over 22in in length.

“On the odd occasion West Midlands Police have to be called as a shoot may be required due to the amount of rats.

“Rats are gaining access to cars, minibuses, chewing wiring. Peoples homes, and schools. People are adding to the issue by flytipping furniture on top of the rubbish.”

He added: “I have heard the council are calling other councils for help, however if they can’t help then Armed Forces will be called in, which isn’t their job at all.”

Kevin Hollinrake, Shadow Local Government Secretary, said: “Labour are launching their local election campaign while the stench of rat-infested rubbish still hangs over Birmingham — the perfect symbol of what Labour councils deliver: chaos, bankruptcy, higher taxes and bins left to rot.”