Britain’s ‘biggest rat,’ nearly two feet long, found in Yorkshire home

A supersized rat thought to be the UK’s biggest has been captured by pest controllers in a home in the north of England.

The giant animal, which measured 22 inches long, was found in the Normanby area of Redcar and Cleveland after a resident called in exterminators.

Councillors who were sent an image of it described the rodent as “almost the size of a small cat”, and have claimed pest control issues have got “out of control” since the end of free services for residents in the Labour-run local authority.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Eston ward councillor David Taylor said the rodents were becoming “brazen” and had “settled into the neighbourhood”.

“The longer this is ignored, the worse it will get,” he added. “It is a growing problem.”

The council insisted it has a “dedicated pest control officer” who works on council-owned land, and said it also “offers advice to residents where possible”.

Proper vermin control plan wanted

Writing on a joint Facebook page, Taylor and fellow councillor Stephen Martin said the area needed “a proper vermin control strategy”.

“As many of you have seen, the rat infestation we raised has now made national headlines,” the Conservative Party councillors wrote. “What started with 100 comments on social media has grown to nearly 1,000 on Teesside Live, and now it’s been picked up by both local on Teesside, Yorkshire, Birmingham, and London and national press.

“It’s clear this needs a joined-up 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.

“There’s no doubt plenty of blame to go around, but what matters now is what we do next to stop it getting worse.”

Taylor said councillors would now be calling for an “urgent action plan” including a borough-wide survey into the vermin and a treatment plan.

A Redcar and Cleveland council spokesperson said: “The council has a dedicated pest control officer who manages pest issues on council-owned land.

“While we no longer provide a wider pest control service, we do offer advice to residents where possible.

“The council continues to work with Beyond Housing, Northumbrian Water and other partners to address complex issues and explore potential solutions.

“There is also helpful guidance and preventative measures on our website to support people in dealing with pests.”

The largest rat believed to have been caught in Britain measured 21 inches from tip to tail and was found in a property in Bournemouth in November 2018. According to the RSPCA, rats in the UK can grow up to 11 inches on average.

The Independent