Seems like a pretty good option Leadfingers!

We get the occassional rat in our garden but we live opposite a nature reserve and small river. The air rifle has been mentioned for use in my garden but to be honest the rat isn't doing any harm, it hasn't emptied the rubbish bins everywhere. We get foxes, hedgehogs and squirrals in the garden too. The rat is more scared of the cats and the magpies than they of him!