How many firefighters does it take to rescue a rat from a drain? More than you might think.

Especially if it’s a big fat rat unable to move forward or back.

A rescue team was called after a sewer rat was found stuck as it tried to crawl out of a manhole cover in the German town of Bensheim.

Volunteer firefighters responded to the ‘animal rescue’ call on Sunday afternoon.

“She had a lot of winter flab and was stuck fast at her hip - there was no going forward or back,” first responder and animal rescuer Michael Sehr told local media.

It was not a simple operation to free the creature - it could not move forward or back, forcing them to pull the cover up and finally wedge the rodent free.

It wasn’t allowed to get away that easily. It was released back into the sewer.

But it was only a rat. Should they have bothered with the rescue?

“Even animals that are hated by many deserve respect,” Mr Sehr said.

For the record, at least eight firefighters were needed.