Thrown-out food and new housing developments are being blamed for rats getting "bigger and bigger" after a 22-inch (55cm) long rodent was found in a house. It was discovered in Normanby near Middlesbrough and residents said an increase in vermin was being made worse by new housing projects forcing them out of their habitats.

In many parts of the UK, people are seeing more and more rats in city neighborhoods. Overflowing bins, leftover takeout, and mild winters are giving these rodents the perfect conditions to thrive. Now,

Rats in the UK are getting bigger and harder to deal with, as rodents the size of cats are set to become the norm, an expert has said. David Parnell, who has worked in pet control for 20 years, said a couple of call-outs to rats inside people's homes a week has now turned into eight to 10,