SCOTLAND’S blistering heatwave has seen the capital overrun by a plague of rats.

High temperatures, overflowing bins and building works across Edinburgh have seen the furry fiends thrive.

3 The sunshine has sparked a rise in vermin in the city

Experts say Auld Reekie is facing its worst infestation in years — with the problem city-wide and exterminators struggling to keep up with calls.

Sylvia Hill, owner of Wee Critters Pest Control, said: “We attend to rats in all areas of Edinburgh, not one area is clear.

“Rats are always in abundance as they are being disturbed.”

Son Andy, also a pest controller, added: “This is quite unbelievable, I have cleared certain areas of rats and just when I think I’m on top of it, more appear.”

The horror invasion comes as the city gears up for its annual festival with tourists expected from all across the world.

The city council has noted an increase in the number of sightings in its inquiries log.

3 Exterminators in Edinburgh are struggling to cope with the rat infestation

But a spokesman for the local authority insisted there has not been a significant rise.

However, one motorist says the pests nearly saw her come a cropper after chewing through her car’s brake cables.

Janet Reid was with her 14-year-old grandson when she struggled to stop at a busy roundabout in Loanhead, Midlothian.

3 Rats bit through shaken Janet Reid's brake cables

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The 65-year-old said: “I had to crunch the gears to stop it and I couldn’t have been more than a hair’s breadth from hitting another car.

Shaken Janet managed to get the motor into the nearby Nissan garage where mechanics showed her the rat hairs still stuck to the gnawed cables.

She added: “I was shocked.”

Shocking viral footage shows two men setting a caged rat on fire and watching as the poor creature becomes a moving fireball

robert.mcaulay@the-sun.co.uk

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