A pig breeder visiting Thailand says he was surprised to find a roadside stall selling rat carcases - for more per kilo than the live price for UK pigs.

Stephen Curtis, chairman of Yorkshire-based ACMC, said they were caught in the wild and must be pretty daunting since they weigh 2-3 kg. They are quite popular barbecued and are seen as a cheap form of protein. He compared their price to that of pigs. The Thai rat-catcher is paid around �1 more per kg — about 125 baht (�2.50) per kg liveweight, compared with around �1.50 live paid to British pig farmers, he says. But he declined to try one and said he would stick to pork.