Man survives potentially fatal rat bite

A man from Leicester is lucky to be alive after catching a rare disease when he was bitten by a rat.

Chris Hammond, who's from South Wigston, was feeding his friend's pet when it bit him on the hand.

Days later he developed streptobacillosis, known as rat bite fever, which can attack the internal organs. It's caused when bacteria in a rat's saliva enters into the human blood stream.

Mr Hammond went to hospital when his joints became painful and stiff.

Doctors spotted the illness before its lethal stage and Chris is now recovering at home on antibiotics.