A disabled man from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, was left horrified after discovering a 'foot-long' rat behind his washing machine. Michael Rutherford, who suffered a stroke in 2019, said the rodent looked like a small cat and frightened him to death.
Mr Rutherford has been plagued by rats for two months, with the creatures chewing his furniture, ruining his clothes and leaving his kitchen soaked in urine. He said he is unable to eat or sleep due to the infestation.
He contacted his housing provider, Sanctuary Housing, which sent a pest control worker to dispose of the creature. The team had already visited four times since September, initially leaving poison only in the garden due to Mr Rutherford's elderly dog.
Mr Rutherford said he now has to tie his bathroom door to his front room door at night to prevent his 14-year-old dog from accessing areas where poison has been laid. He described his kitchen as 'full of holes' and smelling of rat urine.
A Sanctuary Housing spokesperson said staff will visit again soon and remain committed to resolving the issue. Workers are scheduled to dismantle the kitchen and fill holes on November 10, but Mr Rutherford insists a new kitchen is needed as his is 32 years old.
