£7,000 bill after rat ate my Range Rover

The rodent made way through the floor and made its home in the back seat of the car - then proceeded to eat away at the upholstery and electric cables.

The owner, who lives at Plumpton Rocks near Harrogate, said: “I noticed a bit of what looked like foam around the seat belts so I cleaned it up.

“When I went to the car the next day the fob key wouldn’t work. I looked through the car window and could see a big hole in the back seat.”

When the car failed to start, she called in pest control expert David Ellis.

He said: “I frequently come across some bizarre pest stories but this one was a bit odd. There is a farm near where the car owner lives and it’s probably been looking for somewhere warm and dry to stay in winter.”

The expense of repairing the damage to cables meant the car had to be replaced.

Its owner, who did not wish to be named, said: “I took the car to my Range Rover dealer. The rat appeared to have come through the driver’s pedal from below.

“It was so expensive to repair I had to get rid of it and get a new car.”