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Giant 4-ft-long Rat found in a London Children's Playground
'Giant 4-foot-long monster rat' found in children's playground in London could be African species
- The creature is believed to be a cane rat, with experts believing the rodents could be breeding in London’s sewers
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Pest controllers had their work cut out when a 'monster rat' was found in a playground in London.
The creature, believed to be a giant rat, was said to be bigger than a cat or a Jack Russell.
Gas engineer Tony Smith, 46, saw the rodent, which he claimed was up to 4 feet long, while working at a block of flats in London.
The large rodent, which reportedly weighed about 25lbs, was seen in a bush next to a popular children's playground.
The average body length of an adult rat is 9 to 11 inches, with a tail of 7 to 9 inches.
Pest-control experts at Rentokil believe the rodents could be breeding below the city streets.
A spokesperson explained the average brown rat in the UK is just one foot in length, compared to the two feet rodent discovered in Hackney.
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Nazam Ali, who has run a fruit and vegetable stall at Ridley Road Market for 15 years, says he is aware of people selling bush meat like monkey at the market.
Mr Ali, 44, said: "I think people keep it under cover. There's a demand for it, things like bush meat.
"Maybe grasscutter rats are being sold, I don't know.
"People want to eat what they had back home and it's harder to get hold of here in Britain."
The creature was found dead near to an area where children play, which backed onto a railway track near Hackney Downs, north London on Thursday.
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Zoologists believe the rodent could be a West African grasscutter rat, also known as a cane rat.
There have been incidents where grasscutter rat meat has been illegally sold on London markets near to where the large rat was found.
In 2012 the illegal rat meat, which is a delicacy in Ghana, was discovered being sold on Ridley Road market in the Dalston area of Hackney, east London, and in Brixton.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...layground.html
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