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A massive rat measuring almost 56cm from snout to tail has been removed from a home in the UK, where it is believed to be the biggest ever caught.
The rodent was discovered at a home in Normanby, England, about five hours from London.
Residents called a pest controller who captured the rat, which appeared to be even larger than the biggest rat on record to have been caught in the UK.
The current record-holder is a 21 inch (approx. 53cm) rodent that was captured in Bournemouth back in 2018.
But this new “biggest rat” speaks to a bigger issue plaguing Normanby and the wider borough of Redcar and Cleveland.
The area has reportedly experienced a spike in rat sightings following the construction of several new housing estates and an increase in illegal waste dumping.
Local council only provides pest control services on council-owned land, so residents must foot the bill for any pest problems on private property.
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But some UK councillors said more needs to be done after seeing the massive rat caught in one Normanby home.
“I had to do a double-take when I saw a picture of it … that it’s not a normal size. It’s the size of a cat,” Redcar and Cleveland Councillor Stephen Martin told The Guardian.
He said the rat problem has been getting worse for “a few years” now and called for a joint response from government, local councils, housing providers, landlords, the NHS, commercial developers, and the water board.
“We need a proper vermin control strategy and fast. This situation should never have been allowed to get this bad,” Martin and Eston Ward David Taylor said on Facebook.
“There’s no doubt plenty of blame to go around, but what matters now is what we do next to stop it getting worse.”
They and Normanby Councillors called for a borough-wide vermin survey to identify hotspots, a proper treatment plan, and an “immediate, intensive” response to get the reported rat outbreak under control.
Other parts of the UK have also experienced rat infestations in recent years, including Birmingham, which has been inundated by rodents amid a months-long bin strike.
