Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Sage advice from the government.

Contacted about the news that some destitute migrants had been seen eating rats, the Food Standard Agency came up with one of its more unusual pieces of advice.

Emphasising that the rodents were not regarded as a source of food in the UK, it added: 'In the unlikely event that you decide to eat rat then, as with any meat, you should avoid cross contamination and ensure that the rat is cooked thoroughly to kill any harmful organisms that it might be carrying.'

It then went on to warn that there might be other risks, such as from chemicals that rats might have eaten.

My thanks to 'Inside Housing' magazine for this useful snippet of culinary advice.