Modern "Pide Pipper" Badly Needed in Hamelin to Repel Rodent Invasion!

Town officials have reported an "explosion" in the rat population of the north German town best known for its fairy tale about a mystery piper who once got rid of them all.A makeshift rubbish dump on the town's fringes is blamed as being a "takeaway" food centre for the rats, as the invasion threatens to overshadow preparations for the town's 725th anniversary celebrations.

According to the famous legend, a colourful – or "pied" – rat catcher lured all the rats out of town in 1284 by playing his pipe.When the townspeople refused to pay him, he did the same with Hamelin's children. On St John's Day while the inhabitants were in church, he played his pipe, attracting the children of Hamelin.One hundred and thirty boys and girls followed him out of the town, where they were lured into a cave and disappeared, never to be seen again.

Famous versions of 'The Pied Piper of Hamelin' have been written by the Brothers GrimmBrothers Grimm and Robert BrowningRobert Browning. Although extensive research has been conducted no explanation for the event or whether it happened has been given.