Gruesome video captures crowd of rats swarming in Halifax town centre back street - and one venturing out onto a pedestrian crossing

It shows one large creature boldly making its way across a pedestrian crossing on Waterhouse Street.

But then it quickly pans round to what looks to Gill’s Court – an alleyway – where a group of around six rats can be seen scurrying and even leaping into the air.

The video has been shared many times on social media over the weekend by people disgusted by the sight of so many rats in the town centre.

One woman, who did not want to be named, said she was in the town centre last week and saw one out in the town centre as early as 5pm.

“One big one went running past us all,” she said. “It was a shock. A few people freaked out.”

Rats feed mostly at night and they prefer cereal products but are omnivorous and will eat almost anything that humans eat.

They live anywhere where they have access to food, water and shelter.

In homes, they will live in roof spaces, wall cavities or under floorboards. In gardens, they will burrow into grassy banks or under sheds, or they can also be found living in sewer systems.

Rats carry many diseases which they can spread to humans including Leptospirosis or Weil's disease, Salmonella, Listeria, Toxoplasma and Hantavirus.