A father and son discovered a giant rat measuring 52 centimetres (20 inches) in their garden in Minster, Sheppey. The 18-year-old son said they had never seen rats before and were shocked by the size of the rodent, which was at least 32 centimetres without its tail.
The find comes after a 22-inch supersized rat, thought to be the largest captured in the UK, was found in Yorkshire last month. These rats dwarf the average UK brown rat, which grows between 15 and 27 centimetres (6 to 10.5 inches) from head to tail.
Pest control experts attribute the rise in rat sightings to factors such as food waste, new housing developments, and year-round breeding. Phil Golding, a pest controller with over 20 years of experience, noted that food waste bins attract rodents, while Niall Gallagher of the British Pest Control Association said rat seasons are blending, leading to problems all year.
Matthew O’Donnell, who runs Pest Control, added that building on natural habitats pushes rats closer to homes. A Freedom of Information request by Direct Line home insurance revealed that local authorities responded to 52 more rat or mouse-related call-outs per day last year compared to 2022, with over 290,000 call-outs in total.
