Somerset vet nurse Steph Toogood uses treats to get the rats to walk through non-toxic, water-based paint and then over a canvas, creating mini pieces of art.

The 26-year-old told the BBC that the paintings are helping change people’s perception of rats.

"A lot of people have come to me and said that what I do with the photos I share has changed their perception of rats, which is lovely to hear,” Steph said.

She added that she got her first pet rat in 2016 after her father died.

But it was only after one of her pet rats, named Captain Jack Sparrow, died that she came up with the idea of rat art.

"The rats started creating art - in 2018 after I lost one of my rats, Captain Jack Sparrow," she said.

"I took his paw prints and wanted something for my current boys to create which I would keep to treasure and so I found some mini canvases, and the boys got to work."

Now, Steph has five male rats, known as bucks, and 11 female rats, known as does, but only 12 of them paint.

"The rats that don't paint aren't on the commissions' list either for health reasons, they're too young, or they just don't enjoy it," she added.

"The rats are trained to follow my hand and treats.

"The rats are never forced to run through paint, if they show any signs of unwillingness on the day, we stop."