A mum claims her family's pet budgie was killed by a rat which stole its head before fleeing their home leaving its tiny footprints behind.
Niki Trepak found the decapitated body of Elsa at their family home in Crosland Moor, Huddersfield, but his head had disappeared.
The 37-year-old, who has a host of her own parrots and also runs a bird rescue charity, said she found rat footprints in Elsa's cage after she made the gruesome doscovery.
She said the loss of Elsa, has devastated her daughter Olivia, who named the bird after the popular Frozen character even though he's male, Examiner Live reports.
Niki believes the rat came from a long abandoned St Luke's Hospital site, which is just two streets away from her, which is being developed into new homes.
She wrote on Facebook: "People of Crosland Moor check your house for rats.
"Since St Luke’s construction has started people have been getting rats!
“I found my budgie decapitated this morning with rat foot prints on the cage.
“Fly high over rainbow bridge Elsa!”
Niki's fiance Anthony Scaife, who lives nearby, said he has also recently had problems with rats and has caught one in a trap.
Meanwhile, Lindsay Smith, who runs a cat sanctuary close by in Lockwood, agreed with Niki that the area had a big problem with rats.
However Kirklees Council said that its pest control team had not been made aware of any increase in rats in the two areas.
One person commenting on Niki's Facebook post that warns of the rat problems said they believed the rodents were travelling through old sewers from the now demolished hospital.
Another said there was a rats issue in Lockwood.
A spokesperson for Avant Homes, who are set to build more than 200 homes on the site, said they were unaware of any rat issue.
They said: “Initial groundworks have begun at our Fitzwilliam Grange development where we are clearing the site in preparation for development, in accordance with our planning permission.
“These works involve removing and crushing the concrete foundations of former buildings and clearing their surrounds.
"This phase of works is expected to be complete by the end of June.”
