Rat bites sleeping toddler on his face leaving ‘horror movie’ scene in bedroom
A two-year-old boy was attacked by a rat while sleeping in his bed in Liverpool, leaving blood all over his pillow.
His mum, who was breastfeeding her newborn baby at the time, suddenly heard screams coming from another room and rushed to see what was happening.
She told how she walked on a scene ‘from a horror movie’ with her son covered in blood – and wasn’t sure what was happening until she saw the rat scurry away.
The harrowing incident happened at a rented house in Walton, with the mum now refusing to go back.
She did not want to identify her children, but spoke out because she believes there is a major rat infestation in the area and doesn’t want it to happen to another family.
The boy was rushed to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital having been bitten on the face by the rat, with fears he could pick up an infection.
A note from the hospital states: ‘Multiple rat bites from feral rat this morning while sleeping at home address. Patient referred to plastic surgeons and infection diseases in Alder Hey.’
‘It was like something from a nightmare or a horror movie, I am still traumatised by it all,’ his mum said.
‘I heard my two-year-old son crying from his bed and when I walked in he was covered in blood.
‘I fell to my knees in shock, I had no idea what had happened until I saw the rat run past me. My four-year-old saw it all with me and has been having nightmares ever since.’
Thankfully the child is now recovering from his injuries. He did not require plastic surgery and is clear of any potential diseases.
Since the attack, the mum and her kids have moved in with family and are now looking for a new place to live.
‘We just can’t go back there,’ she said. ‘Since the attack we have heard other rats running around, we can’t live there. Something needs to be done because I really don’t want this to happen to another family.’
She raised the terrifying incident with her local MP Dan Carden, who described it as one of the most horrific things he has heard during his time as an MP.
Mr Carden’s office escalated the case to Liverpool City Council for an urgent pest control visit and the MP met with the family earlier this week.
He said: ‘The family are traumatised. It is unthinkable that this has happened. They live in a clean and pleasant home, but the area is blighted by vermin.
‘No one should have to worry about rats in their home, but that is the reality for too many of my constituents. The extent of vermin problems in large parts of the city is a public health crisis.
‘There must now be a collective effort to address the problem. I am calling on water companies and the council to prioritise tackling rat infestations.
‘That means baiting the city’s drains and increasing the pest control workforce. It also means investment from government to help address long-standing structural issues.’
Council workers are understood to have attended the property and spotted an issue with the drains which were baited along with the nearby alleyway.
The council said it baits around 600 to 700 streets in the city each year and has seen a steady decline in vermin reports thanks to the introduction of gated alleyways and euro bins.
They hope the forthcoming rollout of underground super-bins will continue to tackle the issue.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.