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A monster pack of six super rats the 'size of cats' have been found living on a British housing estate.

Pest controller Lord Dean Burr was called in to catch the family of rodents, who were about 2ft long each, and believes they got so big by eating each other.

The 36-year-old, who inherited his title from his late uncle after his father turned it down, admitted it was the biggest vermin he had seen since setting up his rat catching company 15 years ago.

Lord Burr told the Daily Star: "It’s possible that these rats got so big by attacking and eating smaller rats.

“Getting six this big in one swoop is unheard of.

(Image: Lord Dean David Burr)

“They were big, a foot to two feet long – that’s the size of a cat.”

He had been carrying out a routine inspection of his traps on a housing estate in Tooting, South London, when he made the discovery.

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The rodents had been too big for the traps and were left wedged inside them, he told the newspaper.

It comes after a giant 2ft super rat was captured by pest controllers in Humberston, Grimsby, after experts were called in to deal with reports of vermin scuttling along the patio.

S.W.A.T. Total Pest Control owner Jeff Sullivan, 58, confirmed that the rat is the biggest one he's encountered in his 18 years working in the sector.

The ex-Royal Engineer said: "There is a lot of misrepresentation with guys taking photos of rats with mobile phones and holding it out at an extreme arms-length to create the illusion that it's bigger than it really is.

"But this is the real deal, it's the largest rat I've ever seen."

Read more:Britain set for 'super rat' plague as millions of 2ft long rodents 'immune to poison' blossom

Jeff revealed that the rats are feasting on high-protein food – including dog faeces – which is causing the rodents to bulk up to their mammoth sizes.

A lethal combination of the rats gorging on food found in rubbish including maize, which contains vitamin k – an antidote to many poisons – and warmer conditions is breeding a verminous army that home owners can't kill.

This particular rat was captured by S.W.A.T Total Pest Control technician Spencer Harris using traps, which is the most eco-friendly way of dealing with vermin.

Read more: Furious homeowner shares image of 'monster rat' as plague of rodents blights village

Jeff said: "Infestations like this are a serious public health issue.

"Rats carry around 35 diseases such as leptospirosis and rat bite fever and urinate as they travel.

"Due to their tolerance of shop-bought poisons the only real way of tackling the problem is to contact a fully qualified pest controller."