WATCH: Mischief of rats invade Leeds city centre street

For one man walking through Leeds in the early hours of Monday morning, it was closer than that.

-> Rat 'the size of a cat' seen on Leeds street

Tom Hattrell had finished working and was heading to the Corn Exchange to get a taxi when at least six rats appeared in front of him in New Market Street.

"I couldn't believe there were so many," said Tom, who lives in Osmondthorpe. "That's why I stopped to film them all."

The rodents can be seen running around the street and bus shelter nearby at around 12.30am before scarpering as Tom gets closer.

-> The 12 worst places in Leeds for rats, insects and other pests

Those with musophobia - the fear of mice or rats - would probably have run away before the rats had chance to.

A group of rats is known as a mischief.

A good estimate for the number of urban rats in the UK is 3.1 million, according to the BBC.

Given the urban spread in the UK, you're more likely to be 164 feet (or 50 metres) away from a rat at any one time - still too close for some!