Startled sunbather, 58, rattled by rat on beach

A woman was sunbathing on a Pembroke beach when she felt something on her legs and looked up to get the shock of her life – a rat staring back at her. “It was black with white dots. All of Malta must have heard me scream,” she said. I packed my things and went home and washed myself with disinfectant. I even called the hospital to ask if I should be worried even though it did not bite me. I can still feel it on me,” Rosanna Paris cringed. Shaken at the “disgusting” experience, she reported the case, and the Government pest control section is now looking into the vermin problem in the area. This was not the first time Ms Paris had seen a rat on the beach, located close to the reverse osmosis plant. Earlier last week she noticed a family pointing out a rat in the distance. But she never imagined she would soon find one on her lap. Ms Paris, 58, got particularly concerned because the rat felt “confident” enough to climb on a person. “Did this mean they had lost any fear of people? Were there greater risks of being bitten given that these rodents are known to carry diseases?” Ms Paris decided to inform the Pembroke local council about what had happened in the hope no one would have...