A woman was sunbathing on a Pembroke beach when she felt something on her legs and looked up to get the shock of her life – a rat staring back at her.

“It was black with white dots. All of Malta must have heard me scream,” she said. I packed my things and went home and washed myself with disinfectant. I even called the hospital to ask if I should be worried even though it did not bite me. I can still feel it on me,” Rosanna Paris cringed. Shaken at the “disgusting” experience, she reported the case, and the Government pest control section is now looking into the vermin problem in the area.

It was black with white dots. All of Malta must have heard me scream

This was not the first time Ms Paris had seen a rat on the beach, located close to the reverse osmosis plant.

Earlier last week she noticed a family pointing out a rat in the distance. But she never imagined she would soon find one on her lap.

Ms Paris, 58, got particularly concerned because the rat felt “confident” enough to climb on a person.

“Did this mean they had lost any fear of people? Were there greater risks of being bitten given that these rodents are known to carry diseases?”

Ms Paris decided to inform the Pembroke local council about what had happened in the hope no one would have to experience her ordeal.

Mayor Dean Hili said the council had received her complaint and contacted the pest control department within the Environmental Health Directorate.

Dr Hili said he looked into the council’s files and found that, in the past, the pest control department had informed the council that the main problem was that rat poison worked by dehydrating the animal. This was difficult to accomplish by the seaside, since rats drank sea water.

He also pointed out that the beach was located near a large stretch of garigue land that was a Natura 2000 protected area.

The Environmental Health Directorate warned that all rodents could be vectors of various diseases.

Therefore, as a preventative measure, the directorate performed ongoing surveillance and treatment with rat poison in such areas during the summer months when they were more frequented by the public.

Speaking about Ms Paris’ complaint, a directorate spokesman said the case has been registered in the directorate’s complaints system and reported to the pest control section for the necessary treatment and follow-up as required.

Both the directorate and the local council urged the public not to leave waste on beaches, such as barbeque leftovers, since these were magnets for rats.