As we increasingly venture outdoors and into our gardens this spring, awareness is growing about rats nesting and wreaking havoc in and around our homes - but there are measures you can take to stop this happening. Rats are generally considered unwelcome visitors, regarded as vermin capable of spreading potentially dangerous diseases ranging from leptospirosis to Weil's disease. What makes it straightforward for them to live in close proximity to us is that they feed on a vast range of foods