A councillor has asked Bradford Council to investigate a report of giant rats being seen on the Ravenscliffe estate.

According to a report in The Sun, a 30ins rodent was shot dead on the estate, prompting fears that "super rats" from South America could be at large.

Coun Carol Beardmore (Lib-Dem, Eccleshill) played down suggestions that giant rodents were plaguing the estate.

She said: "I live on the estate and while I'm not saying we don't have rats - everywhere has rats - I am not aware of an infestation of giant rats.

"I am kept informed by officers on the council and only recently we did a survey and Eccleshill was quite low down the list regarding the number of rats."

She added: "I live close to a wood ... and we have not seen anything like that, and if we had I am sure my cat would have caught it.

"However, I take it seriously and I will ask officers to investigate."

Coun Beardmore also suggested the animal pictured in The Sun could be a coypu, a plant-eating semi-aquatic rodent originally native to South America.

Dennis Shipway, the Council's pest control manager, told the Telegraph & Argus today: "We have not received any reports of larger than normal rats or any increased rat activity in Ravenscliffe.

Brandon Goddard, of Wakefield, told The Sun how he killed the creature as he went "ratting" with friends on the edge of the estate.