A mum has been left having nightmares after discovering her toddler covered in blood after a rat bit him on the face.
The mum, who lives in a rented house in Walton, Merseyside was feeding her newborn at the time of the attack which left her other child's pillow soaked in blood.
She told the Liverpool Echo : "It was like something from a nightmare or a horror movie, I am still traumatised by it all. I heard my two-year-old son crying from his bed and when I walked in he was covered in blood.
"I fell to my knees in shock, I had no idea what had happened until I saw the rat run past me. My four-year-old saw it all with me and has been having nightmares ever since."
After being rushed to Alder Hey the scarred mum was given details of her son's injuries.
A note given to her by doctors said: "Multiple rat bites from feral rat this morning while sleeping at home address. Patient referred to plastic surgeons and infection diseases in Alder Hey."
The young boy is now on the mend and doesn't need any form of plastic surgery.
But, the family have been forced to move out of the area and in with family after the nightmare incident and are now looking for a new place to live.
The mum said: "We just can't go back there. Since the attack we have heard other rats running around, we can't live there.
"Something needs to be done because I really don't want this to happen to another family."
She raised the incident with her local MP Dan Carden, who described it as one of the most horrific things he has heard during his time as a Member of Parliament.
He said: "The family are traumatised. It is unthinkable that this has happened. They live in a clean and pleasant home, but the area is blighted by vermin.
"No one should have to worry about rats in their home, but that is the reality for too many of my constituents. The extent of vermin problems in large parts of the city is a public health crisis.
"There must now be a collective effort to address the problem. I am calling on water companies and the council to prioritise tackling rat infestations. That means baiting the city's drains and increasing the pest control workforce. It also means investment from government to help address long-standing structural issues."
Mr Carden's office escalated the case to Liverpool City Council for an urgent pest control visit and the MP met with the family earlier this week.
