'Giant Rat' Caught And Killed By Grandad
Sky News – 14 hours agoA 'giant rat' has been caught and killed by a man in the North East of England.
It was first spotted by the boyfriend of Mr Watson's granddaughter, while he was out cutting grass on a tractor.
In an interview with Sky Tyne and Wear , Mr Watson said: "I heard him shouting there was a large rat.
"I came running round the corner. I managed to grab some wood on the way."
"It wasn't very fast. I managed to kill it there and then.
"I've never seen a rat as big in my life before."
One reason why it was so big and slow is that it may have been pregnant.
"It was that big... I think it was due to drop young ones," said Mr Watson.
Afterwards, he tried to pick up the creature with a paddle - but it was so heavy the paddle broke.
It was left where it was killed for several days, but when word spread of the find Mr Watson decided to destroy the rodent in a fire.
According to some observers the animal was a coypu , which are also known as river rats.
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- William • Hem, France • 3 hours ago
If the animal was a South American Coypu then it was no threat to humans, we have them here in France living in the rivers and ponds, they are vegitarian and live in burrows on the river / pond banks.
12 Replies - Michael • 17 hours ago
No wonder it was slow, It was a coypu. Living near the water`s edge,I thought he would have seen this swimming on a regular bases. Pity he had to kill it. It was perfectly harmless. Rats do not have orange teeth.
15 Replies - Will T • 4 hours ago
well the biggest ive seen in britain lives at number 10 downing street
31 Replies - Tom • Manchester, England • 3 hours ago
This sums up england! - man kills unidentified animal (probably coypu) and then breaks his cheap plastic paddle (made in china) then burns evidence to cover up his crime.
9 Replies - Bluenos3 • 3 hours ago
What was so dangerous about an animal that, in his own words, couldn't move very fast, that he saw fit to ruthlessly kill it?
13 Replies -
- JD • Edinburgh, Scotland • 3 hours ago
Looks like a Coypu, you fool! Why kill it, it's in the countryside, in a river, not doing any people any harm.
4 Replies -
- SLINKY • 3 hours ago
So If I see a giant pregnant otter should I kill it with a stick and set fire to it? Is this what we do now?!
13 Replies - A Yahoo! User • St Albans, England • 1 hour 35 minutes ago
Headline should read!! A 'giant idiot' has caught and killed a Coypu in the North East of England. What a mindless prat.
1 Reply - Eta Cariane • 9 hours ago
Though native from my country (Brazil) it is not as spread out (even at zoos) a species as say, the capybara (this one, the largest of them all!). ... More
5 Replies - Redblood • Brighton, England • 3 hours ago
Just about sums your average knuckle dragging human being up...see a wild animal in its natural environment...kill it. Pathetic.
10 Replies - RA • Zurich, Switzerland • 18 hours ago
He must be so proud of himself. What is wrong with people that they have to kill everything? Great story. Human nature at its best.
29 Replies - Jodie J • Bracknell, England • 8 hours ago
agree with all the comments here, no need to kill the bloody thing, he admitted it walked slowly, hardly going to be a nuisance to him, think the old fart needs to be reported to the rspca
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