Roofers are used to pulling dead rats out of buildings when they are carrying out renovations, but what the boys from Merimbula Metal Roofing found surprised even them.
The company is re-roofing the nurses quarters at the Old Bega Hospital, an area currently used by community radio group Edge FM.
Merimbula Metal Roofing owner Adam Gamlin explained that they were replacing the old roof with galvanised material, “to be true to the heritage style”.
“The roof roof came off and during the work we found this rat, well it was the biggest one I’ve ever seen,” Adam said.
It had obviously been dead a long time, but even despite its shrunken state the mega rat chalked up a 35cm body length.
It was one of many found in what was believed to be the old hot water header tank.
“There was a lot in there and this really big one so we fished it out,” Adam said.
The old tank contains rats of all shapes and sizes and Adam said because the top of the tank was open the rats may have fallen in and been unable to get out.
“It’s not surprising – there are rats in every roof. This was just a very big one,” Adam added.
The project is part of renovations that Friends of the Old Bega Hospital hope will eventually see the whole site restored true to its 1888 heritage and used as a community centre.
The fundraising project has been called ‘Raise the Roof’ and on this occasion it certainly did just that.
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