A fat rat has been rescued in Germany after getting itself stuck in a manhole cover.
The helpless, overweight rodent was spotted on Sunday afternoon in the small town of Bensheim near Frankfurt, attempting to hoist itself through a gap in a manhole too narrow for it to pass through.
Animal rescuer Michael Sehr was dispatched following a call from a passer-by but initially found no way to lift the cover of the manhole and push the rat out from the other side.
![Help! The chubby sewer rat got itself stuck in a manhole cover. Photo / Berufstierrettung Rhein Neckar Facebook](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/A6HHOXNYMHZWDRHISTDNCRLFMQ.jpg?auth=9fe365292f10294c201543ace9672164fe798488a3397eb45b7ed5d1e09dc396&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)
An entire team of volunteer firefighters was called out to lend a hand.