WHEN friends popped into a Scream pub they were hoping for a drink and maybe a bite to eat.
But David Mahoney was screaming when he received a bite of a different kind – from a rat.
Mr Mahoney was enjoying a drink with a few friends at The Warehouse, a Scream chain pub, on Zetland Street, when the rat struck.
The rat appeared on the floor alongside the table.
Mr Mahoney ushered it away but the rodent returned and when Mr Mahoney tried to pick it up to remove it from the pub it bit him on his right thumb.
Mr Mahoney, 22, of Springwood, went to hospital where he was given a tetanus vaccine and a course antibiotics.
Rats can carry diseases which can be transmitted to humans including rat-bite fever, which as the name suggests, can be caught from rodent bites.
The bacterial disease can cause fever, headaches, vomiting, rashes and, if untreated, death. It is, however, easily treated with antibiotics.
Mr Mahoney said: “A lot of people eat there and it’s not on having rats in a pub.
“I’ve got to go to my GP after my course of antibiotics to check I’m still all right.
“It’s disgusting to think those animals could be running around your glasses.
“I was shocked and horrified that I’d been bitten by a dirty animal.
“I won’t stop until this is sorted out. It needs to be brought to people’s attention.”
A spokesperson for Stonegate pubs, which own the Scream pubs chain, said: “We were made aware of the incident where a rodent was seen on our premises.
“Having viewed the CCTV footage where Mr Mahoney chases and handles the rodent, we have identified that it came from the rear of the pub where the doors were open.
“We immediately contacted pest control who confirmed that there is no infestation at the premises and equally we were visited by the Environmental Health Office on July 19 which has given us a clean bill of health and awarded the pub five out five for our food hygiene standards.
“We have apologised to Mr Mahoney regarding the incident and are currently in discussions with him.”
