Pest control experts have warned of rats which can tread water for up to three days invading homes through toilets.
Some of the rodents are said to be “as big as cats” and people have been advised to rat-proof their homes to ward off any such invasion.
Areas such as Norris Green, Everton, Old Swan, Yew Tree and Knotty Ash, which have previously been hotspot areas for pest control call outs, were identified as locations where residents should take action.
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Pest control expert Ian Helands warned: “I have had more call-outs than ever from homeowners who have heard a noise, looked down into their toilet only to find a giant rat.
“No-one is safe. Rats are excellent swimmers with bendy bones and can squeeze into the smallest of spaces.
“They can hold their breath for three minutes and tread water for three days, and they are coming up waste pipes.
“They’re cunning and getting bolder and bolder. Basically, if they want to get into your home, they will.”
The Daily Star reports that an explosion in UK rat numbers is causing chaos. They are said to number 150 million – the highest ever.
Mr Helands continued: “This has increased by 25% each year over the covid pandemic.
“People are scared and they should be. There are more rats than ever and they are taking over. I have seen some the size of cats.”
Last year, a Freedom of Information request sent to Liverpool City Council revealed the areas across the city which had seen the highest number of call outs from residents to deal with rat problems.
The figures, which cover January to October 2021, showed that Norris Green saw the highest number of rat removals, at 559,
Everton (505) and Old Swan (499) were the next highest.
Here are the number of rat removals that took place across the city from the beginning of 2021 to the end of October
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Norris Green – 559
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Everton – 505
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Old Swan – 499
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Yew Tree – 495
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Knotty Ash – 474
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Clubmoor – 452
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Kirkdale – 439
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Tuebrook & Stoneycroft – 432
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County – 387
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Anfield – 342
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Princes Park – 335
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Picton – 333
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Croxteth – 319
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Speke-Garston – 308
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Fazakerley – 281
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Belle Vale – 265
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West Derby – 242
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Woolton – 228
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Kensington and Fairfield – 220
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Riverside – 215
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Warbreck – 201
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Wavertree – 187
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Childwall – 183
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Allerton and Hunts Cross – 148
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St Michael’s – 107
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Cressington – 99
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Church – 92
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Greenbank – 83
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Mossley Hill – 74
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Central – 31
Additionally, a mother in Knowsley said earlier this month her area's rat problems were out of control after her daughter was woken up by a rat chewing through her bedroom carpet.
After that incident in November last year, the mum-of-two said rats also started to appear in the kitchen of her Page Moss family home.
The mum, who asked not to be named, said that after installing shop bought and makeshift traps she caught four rats in her kitchen – which she had banned her children, aged seven and ten. from going in “because it’s just not safe.”
Other residents in Page Moss and Huyton have also reported ongoing problems with rats in the area on social media.
In November, one woman spoke of the moment she caught “rats as big as cats” sat on a bin outside of her house in broad daylight.
Mr Helands, who runs pest control business Pests Be Gone continued: “There are ways of pest proofing your home.
“You can get rat gates for water pipes – these used to be used in very rural areas, such as near canals, but now we are recommending them even in built-up housing areas.
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