A CUSTOMER at a Worcester fast food restaurant claims he saw two rats outside.

The customer, who did not want to be named, said he saw a rat, which was sandy coloured and about eight to 10 inches long, next to the bins at the rear entrance of McDonald's in Hylton Road.

He claimed he had also seen a rat disappearing into the bushes as he had entered the car park from Tybridge Street, but does not know if it was the same rat or a different one.

"As I drove into the entrance, I saw a rodent running into the bushes at the side of the street," he said. "I thought it was a small squirrel at first but as I got closer I saw the tail."

After purchasing some fries, the customer again saw a rat, "at the top of the steps by the waste bin", as he came out of the rear entrance.

"It was dusk and it was about 10 to 15 feet away, but it was definitely a rodent," he said.

"You could see the tail, which was quite long, very clearly."

Corporate affairs manager at McDonald's, Robert Parker, said the restaurant took regular, preventative measures against vermin.

"It's obviously concerning to us - McDonald's does take preventive steps against any vermin - and it is highly unusual to see any," said Mr Parker.

"As part of a regular maintenance programme we have had inspections done by a professional external company and they didn't find anything.

"But obviously this person is concerned, so we will have them back to make sure that we are doing the most we can to prevent any problems."