Dozens of rats were caught on camera running around in High Wycombe town centre, prompting shock and disgust on social media. 

Thousands of people have watched a video posted on Facebook showing hoardes of rats scurrying around on the green outside All Saints Church in Church Street. 

The video was captured on Wednesday morning at around 8.50am by High Wycombe resident Jermaine Joven, who said there must have been at least 60 of the creatures. 

He said he saw the rats and they ran away after being spooked by people, but some of them returned - so he started filming them. 

Jermaine said he has recently moved back to High Wycombe from London, and despite the city's reputation for being a perfect breeding ground for rodents, he said he only ever saw one there - and he wasn't expecting to see so many in High Wycombe. 

He said: "Lots of people have been saying how they've seen rats popping up in random places all over the town, it's all connected underground so I think it's going to be difficult to get rid of the problem.

"Before now I've only ever seen two rats in my life - one in London and one in Paris. There must have been about 60 of them."

The video prompted dozens of comments on social media, and Cllr Darren Hayday commented to say the council is aware of the problem, which is a wider problem for the town centre.

He added: "It's mainly because of the fast food waste. They seem to be coming out of the earth on White Hart Street. They are working on measures to control the population."

According to The Wildlife Trusts, the brown rat can be found almost anywhere in the UK where it can get shelter and food. 

They are omnivorous and will eat pretty much anything. 

They are also good breeders - a female brown rat can breed from around three months old, and has an average of five litters a year, each of up to 12 young.