Plus-size rat misjudges manhole manoeuvre

A fat rat has been rescued from a tight spot after it got stuck in a manhole cover.

The rotund rodent was spotted by a passerby half-in and half-out of the grate in the town of Bensheim in Germany.

The local animal rescue crew, Berufstierrettung Rhein Neckar, recruited a group of volunteer firefighters to help them retrieve the agitated little animal from its predicament.

Together, they were able to lift the heavy grate and push their husky new friend through the hole from beneath.

Animal rescuer Michael Sehr told local media the rat had been carrying a bit of "winter flab", a condition many post-holiday readers can no doubt relate to.