![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/great-grandad-catches-baby-sized-rat-from-garden-after-7-year-war-with-rodents/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/1_Top-pic-Template-copy-Recovered-Recovered-Recovered.jpg&description=Derek Blamire, 82, says rats have been invading his back garden from open spare land near his home in Blackburn, Lancashire - the former pub manager says he's caught at least 50 rats in the last few yearsDerek with his wife Sylvia A great-grandad has shared how he caught a 'baby-sized' rat after a seven-year war with the vermin. Derek Blamire, 82, says rats have been invading his back garden from open spare land near his home. He lures the "crafty" rodents by temporarily stopping feeding the birds before catching them using poisoned traps. The former pub manager from Blackburn, Lancashire, says he's caught at least 50 rats in the last few years. Mr Blamire's wife Sylvia, 80, took a snap of his latest catch on October 15, which measured at least 18 inches. The image shows six-foot and one-inch-tall Derek wielding a litter picker with the monster rat in its claw, which others have compared to the size of a small dog. He said they don't bother him but that "if they keep coming, I'll keep catching them". Derek Blamire proudly holding a monster-sized rat ( Kennedy News and Media) Derek Blamire has been battling the giant hairy vermin for the last seven years ( Kennedy News and Media) Derek said: "It was quite big, from nose to tail it was about 18 inches long. It was the length of a small baby. "It'd been knocking about for a few weeks. "I've lived here for about seven years and I've caught over 50. Sometimes I poison them, sometimes I catch them in a trap. "If they keep coming, I'll keep catching them. I'm not going to give up." The keen gardener said he believes the rats living on the spare land next to his garden are attracted by the food he puts out for the birds. Derek said: "I feed the birds you see and if you feed the birds it's obvious rats are going to turn up. There are probably more rats than people. "I put seed and fat balls out for the birds. It attracts all sorts of birds - jackdaws, starlings, magpies, sparrows, robins and wrens. Derek Blamire says the rat){kind=link}
Derek Blamire, 82, says rats have been invading his back garden from open spare land near his home in Blackburn, Lancashire – the former pub manager says he’s caught at least 50 rats in the last few years
A great-grandad has shared how he caught a ‘baby-sized’ rat after a seven-year war with the vermin.
Derek Blamire, 82, says rats have been invading his back garden from open spare land near his home.
He lures the “crafty” rodents by temporarily stopping feeding the birds before catching them using poisoned traps.
The former pub manager from Blackburn, Lancashire, says he’s caught at least 50 rats in the last few years.