ANIMAL welfare leaders have called for an inquiry after it emerged an experienced council pest control officer tackled a “squealing” rat repeatedly with a golf club in a family home.

The worker was on a call-out to a house in Shettleston, in Glasgow’s East End, which is being treated for an infestation. According to the family, the worker clubbed the rat twice but the blows were not enough to kill the stricken rodent and it escaped.

Glasgow City Council said workers “had a variety of ways” for dealing with rats effectively.

Scottish SPCA Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn described the incident as “horrific” and said qualified pest control workers had a duty to carry out their work humanely while animal welfare charity One Kind condemned the employee’s “inhumane” actions.

Read more: Glasgow family forced to feel home after rat bite takeaway horror

The Evening Times told how Steven Haig and his partner Hazel Grimes took their four children out of their home on Friday, following an incident where Hazel was bitten by one of the rats. It is understood Shettleston Housing Association has now agreed to relocate the family to temporary accommodation until the infestation is cleared.

Steven Haig said he was surprised when the employee brought the golf club into the family’s home last week.

He said: “He left it in the house, then on Tuesday he was looking under the sink cupboard where the rats are getting in.

“He saw one and hit it twice with the club and it squealed and ran away. I thought it was a bit bizarre.”

Read more: Rats plaguing Glasgow's West End say residents

Scottish SPCA Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn said: “Local authorities are within their rights to control animal populations where public health or safety is concerned and any action to deter animals occupying an area must be humanely carried out by a qualified individual.

This incident sounds horrific and far from the conduct you would expect from a professional.

“We would urge those involved to contact our animal helpline on 03000 999 999 so that we can fully investigate.”

A council spokeswoman said: “An experienced pest controller visited the house. They have a variety of ways of dealing with rodents effectively and efficiently.”

In May last year, a Glasgow City Council whistleblower revealed that pest controllers were struggling to deal with the city’s spiralling rat problem.

In the last five years, Glasgow City Council has received 13,962 complaints about rat infestations and 2017 saw the highest number of rat reports, 4160, since 2008.