Rats get a bad rap - documentary maker

A film maker who created a short movie about rats has said he thinks the animals get "a bit of a bad rap".

Luke Cowdell, a media lecturer at Dudley College, has created the short film about the colony of rats living in Mary Stevens Park in Stourbridge.

He used hidden cameras to capture their movements and secret interactions over a three week period.

Mr Cowdell has now submitted the video, named Ratlandia, to a number of short film festivals.

The amateur film maker said he first set out to make a nature-style documentary based at the park, when he thought about the group of rats.

"I think rats do get a bit of a bad rap to be honest so I thought they would be a great subject," he said.

"The more I've observed, the more I've noticed little things about them, like them coming out to the side of the water and having a little drink and the little family dynamics as well.

"They look like siblings fighting and playing and mums and dads... a whole big family down there, just living their lives."

Mr Cowdell said he has already received some positive feedback on his film.

His next project promises to be rodent-based as well, with the filmmaker planning to follow a feud between the squirrels in his garden.

Dudley Council, however, is not rolling out the red carpet for the borough's latest film stars, and is discouraging human visitors from attracting them.

Deputy leader Paul Bradley said: "We ask all our park users to either dispose of their rubbish and food waste in the bins provided, or to take it home."

He added: "Bread thrown for ducks provides a source of food for the rat population, impacts negatively on the local environment and does not provide the ducks with the nutrition they need."

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