Latest news with #RedcarandClevelandCouncil
Hindustan Times
04-08-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Monster 22-inch rat found in home called ‘size of a small cat'; locals horrified
Locals were left horrified after an enormous rat, measuring over 22 inches from nose to tail, was discovered inside a home in England. The rodent, described as being 'almost the size of a small cat,' was found by a pest control worker and has sparked widespread concern online and in the local community. A 22-inch rat was found inside a home in England, prompting horrified reactions (Facebook/@EstonMatters) The discovery was shared on Facebook by Eston Ward councillors David Taylor and Stephen Martin, who revealed that the rat was found in the Normanby area of Redcar and Cleveland, North Yorkshire. 'Rats are being spotted more and more around our area,' they wrote, listing sightings in alleyways, around bins, on overgrown land, crossing streets — and now, inside homes. Take a look at the post below: The councillors pointed to several contributing factors, including overflowing bins, overgrown public land, and untreated council-owned plots, as ideal breeding grounds for the pests. 'The longer this is ignored, the worse it will get. We need action — not just advice,' the post warned. A photo accompanying the post showed the massive rodent inside a large plastic bag, its full size on clear display. Locals horrified, internet reacts Viewers were quick to react, with many expressing their disgust and alarm. One resident said they had seen 'two just left dead in the street to rot,' while another claimed to have spotted a rat 'the size of a Jack Russell' drinking from a puddle. 'That rat is bigger than my grown cat,' read a comment on Facebook. 'Proper sewer rat that... must be something going down if they're surfacing?' another person wondered. In an update on August 3, the councillors said the area had faced similar issues two years ago, when effective action was taken, but warned that 'the rats are back, and in even greater numbers.' According to them, the Redcar and Cleveland Council no longer handles domestic rat infestations, instead offering advice and leaving residents to arrange and fund pest control on their own. They argue that this hands-off approach has worsened the crisis.
Metro
03-08-2025
- General
- Metro
Rat the size of a dog found as monster vermin run riot in Yorkshire village
A pest controller was horrified to find a 22-inch sewer rat nesting in a country home in a Yorkshire village. The potentially record-breaking rodent is the same size as a typical American badger with witnesses saying it was more similar to a small dog. Images of the massive rat – discovered recently in a family home in Normanby in Redcar and Cleveland – quickly went viral. Two of the borough's Conservative councillors called for action to be taken to contain the area's 'overflowing' rodent population. David Taylor and Stephen Martin, both Tory councillors, criticised the Labour-run Redcar and Cleveland Council and called for a full vermin study to be carried out. In aFacebook post, Mr Taylor described public bins in parts of the Eston and Whale Hill area as 'overflowing' with rats. He wrote: 'It's almost the size of a small cat. And it's not a one-off. 'The longer this is ignored, the worse it will get. We need action — not just advice.' The rodent has been likened to a 'sewer rat', and while it is unknown how it accessed the property, rats had been reported in the nearby area. Overgrown vegetation on public land can also provide the animals with shelter, they added. Mr Taylor said: 'The longer this is ignored, the worse it will get. It is a growing problem.' He said the rat caught was 'massive', and compared it to a small cat or dog. Pest controllers told him that only a typical sewer rat could get that big. He said a rat cull would 'cost a fortune', but the population was a health risk as rats can carry diseases. 'They'll keep multiplying and unless there is a big cull in the area, people will keep experiencing this,' he said. A spokeswoman for the council 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.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Tribal circumcisions by unskilled 'surgeons' leave 39 dead and dozens mutilated MORE: Urgent hunt for naked man prowling in front of homes in a gimp mask MORE: Fourth person found dead below Whitby Abbey cliff in just four days
Wales Online
03-08-2025
- General
- Wales Online
Huge 22-inch rat found in house as warning issued
Huge 22-inch rat found in house as warning issued The size of the rat has been described as 'shocking' and there are warnings that rodents are being 'spotted more and more' The councillors issued a warning after a gigantic 22-inch rat was found at a property in Yorkshire (Image: David Taylor and Stephen Martin - Eston Ward Councillors / Facebook) A warning has been issued after a gigantic 22-inch rat was found at a council property. Many have taken to social media to express their shock after councillors shared a picture of a rat that had been found and caught in a property in their constituency. The photo shows the rat in a see-through plastic bag, after a pest controller was called to investigate in a property in the Normanby area of North Yorkshire. It is not known how the rat got access to the property. In a social media post shared by Conservative councillors, David Taylor and Stephen Martin, they described the size of the rat as "shocking" and warned that the rodents were being "spotted more and more" around the area. The post reads: "This massive rat over 22 inches long from nose to tail was found inside a local home this weekend and this is the image a resident has sent. It's almost the size of a small cat. And it's not a one-off." The post continues by claiming that rats were becoming a "growing" problem, spotted in alleyways, around bins, overgrown land, "crossing the streets and now inside homes". Keep rats and mice 'away' from your home and garden with four natural household items Councillor David Taylor (right) and Councillor Stephen Martin (left) of Eston Ward Councillors in North Yorkshire have issued a warning after a 22-inch rodent was found at a property (Image: David Taylor and Stephen Martin - Eston Ward Councillors / Facebook) The councillors then asked the Labour-run Redcar and Cleveland Council to address the issue, by conducting surveys and plans, funding and joint action in the borough. Meanwhile, here in Wales, all households have are being encouraged to perform a straightforward check to diminish the chances of rats entering their homes by a pest control expert. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here . Cardiff council's pest control services saw a 10% increase in call-outs to rats last year. The British Pest Control Association said there were anecdotal reports of rat increases in towns and cities across the UK. A pest control specialist from Triumph Pest Control, based in Wales, recently advised in a video: "Be proactive about preventing rats getting into your attic space, or anywhere into your property. Believe it or not, now is the time - summertime - to be proactive." You can read the full story here. Gareth Davies, from Pest and Property Solutions, told BBC Wales earlier this year that in 36 years of business he had never received so many call-outs to rats. "We still have a massive rubbish problem, certainly in Cardiff I can speak of," he said. "People discard rubbish in sort of hedgerows, throw stuff out of cars, part-eaten food. "There's rubbish mounted up where the refuse people don't get to." Mr Davies said seagulls and rats attacked bin bags on the streets, creating food sources, and said higher temperatures due to climate change meant rats could now "breed all year round". Article continues below
