Rats are clever and able creatures. We’ve spent on trying to make the property more secure but I think they would still find a way in… I don’t like it but once you have a rat problem, I think the only sure way is extermination.

I’m not sure I ever mentioned my favourite sighting of a brown rat? In my earlier days here, mum and I sometimes used to like to go down to the BBQ shed for a night time drink. The shed was set up well with (still there) 4 paraffin hurricane lamps and a Camping Gaz stove and (gone) a Calor gas heater. It was quite cosy even in cooler weather. One time, a rat just walked across the lintel over the door and between that and the corrugated roof. It must have known we were only feet away but it was so casual about it.