The wet summer weather has caused an increase in rat sightings as the rodents look for higher land to make their home.

Tony Stevens, spokesman for Rentokil Pest Control, said: "We are seeing more incidents of people coming face to face with rats. The pests are starting to shed their nocturnal lifestyle in favour of venturing out in the daytime to look for easy pickings from discarded fast- food containers."

A spokesman for Southend Council admitted there had been an increase in the local rat population, but said it was comparable with rises in other parts of the country.

Published Friday July 23, 2004

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