LONDON, Aug. 6 -- A supersized rat spotted in a home in Normanby in north-east England has sparked calls for urgent pest control as locals blame council service cuts for a growing infestation.

The rodent, said to measure 56cm from nose to tail, was likened in size to a desktop monitor or carry-on suitcase, The Guardian reported two days ago.

"I had to do a double take when I saw a picture of it.

"You can tell by the size of the bag that it's not a normal size. It's the size of a cat," a local councillor in Eston ward, Stephen Martin was quoted as saying.

Martin, whose Eston ward is near the site, said this isn't an isolated case and the rat population has been "getting worse for a few years now".

The council no longer offers pest con...