Melissa Paterson, from Sutton, recorded the persistent rat on July 12 and shared it on social media, prompting hundreds of mixed reactions. The 26-year-old said: "It had come into the garden a couple of times beforehand and it was climbing on the tree trunk to get on the line. It had climbed up the stick that holds the line up and kept falling. "It was very persistent. It was very fascinating to watch. It did get to it in the end and hasn't come back since." Miss Paterson who lives near farm fields has since removed the bird feeders as not to attract the rat back. "It was just looking for food and the bird feeders were there and it spotted an opportunity."