'Cat-sized' rats cause havoc on UK tourist attraction after plaguing coast

06 March 2023 , 12:26

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The enormous rodents, which have been spotted near Castle Beach in Tenby, are said to have multiplied over the years

Giant cat-sized rats have plagued a popular seaside resort along the Welsh coast, causing havoc among residents.

The enormous rodents, which have been spotted near Castle Beach in Tenby, are said to have multiplied over the years.

Concern has also grown for the cliffs on the tourist attraction which have been destroyed by the large rats.

In response to growing concern, Pembrokeshire Council has advised people not to feed birds or drop food.

The council have also sent in specially trained staff to investigate the cliff where the rats are supposed to be nesting.

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Local boatman Roger Miles revealed he has growing concerns for the area.

The large rats have left many local residents in fear (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Speaking to the BBC, he said: Early evenings, dusk, early morning, rats all over the place, really. There's a certain area where you see parts of the cliff have been eroded."

"Rats as big as cats sometimes, they're really big rats."

He also begged the council to act as quickly as possible to resolve the issue once and for all.

Another resident, Derek Brown spoke of the structural damage to the cliffs that the rodents have done.

Cafe owner, Michael Lindsey, who has been running the 'Dennis Cafe' for over 30 years says he has never seen the rodent issues this bad in all his life and says it has gone worse as the large rodents have been left to their own devices.

He added: "We've put bait down now. We probably see a rat at least once a week running around on the roads."

Castle Beach has been a popular tourist attraction for many years (Getty Images/Collection Mix: Subjects RF)

The rodents have even made their way into people's homes like Poet Clive Dobbins who was startled when he discovered a large rat in his living room.

He said: "Suddenly, this thing dashed and hit my leg. Quite a few people have told me, especially on this mountain here, they've seen clusters of them."

A Pembrokeshire Council spokesperson has responded to the alarm and assured residents they are aware of the issues and are continuing to address them.

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They added: "We are using specialist staff to address the access to the cliff face: this may also allow us regular access for the future as well."

Florence Freeman