[article]
'Giant 4-foot-long monster rat' found in children's playground in London
The creature, believed to be a rat, was the length of a four-year-old child, according to the man who found it
Pest controllers had their work cut out when a 'monster rat' was found in a playground in London. The creature, believed to be a giant rat, was said to be bigger than a cat or a Jack Russell, and was also alleged to be the length of a four-year-old child. Gas engineer Tony Smith, 46, saw the rodent, which apparently measured an astonishing four foot, while working at a block of flats in London.The large rodent, which reportedly weighed upwards of 25lbs, was seen in a bush next to a popular children's playground. The average body length of an adult rat is 9 to 11 inches, with a tail of 7 to 9 inches.
The creature was found dead near to an area where children play, which backed onto a railway track near Hackney Downs, north London on Thursday. Mr Smith asked his electrician friend James Green to hold the rat while he took a picture. His friends have reacted to the image with a mixture of 'glee and disgust'. Mr Smith said: "This is the largest rat I've ever seen in my entire life. "I've got a cat and a Jack Russell and it was bigger than both of those put together. "I'd say it was about four foot. "We were going to stick it in the bin, but before we did we thought we had better take a picture or people won't believe it's real."
The gas engineer said this wasn't the only rat problem they had encountered in the estate where he was working. He claimed there has been an infestation of giant rats, which is being combated with poison. He said: "The bins get left open nearby so these little fellas have a pretty good diet. "They eat fried chicken and rice all the time." The Telegraph has contacted zoological experts to confirm the species of the rodent.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...ackney-downs-london-childrens-playground.html
[/article]
There's going to be another plague. I would suggest you make a conscious effort not to touch other people or things as you go about your business.
