Holidaymakers looking forward to a sunny few days away were forced to evacuate a plane because of RATS.

The flight to Palma de Mallorca from Ibiza was cancelled at the last minute when the pilot told those aboard over the tannoy: "Evacuate - there's a rat on board!"

Air Berlin AB7805 was due to leave Ibiza yesterday evening but take-off was suspended after the rat was spotted by an alarmed passenger.

It is understood that the rat was spotting running down the aisle, alarming those on board.

A steward was alerted, who then told the pilot.

At the moment the decision to abort the flight and evacuate the aircraft was taken.

All the passengers were then taken back to the departure lounge and after two hours a number of them decided to buy tickets for an alternative flight because they got fed up waiting.

One passenger said: "I've never seen anything like it."

Spotting a rat on board an aircraft is one of the official reasons for aborting a flight and evacuating the passengers.

This is because rodents can easily gnaw through wires or cabling and cause a mechanical fault in mid-air, which could then lead to a fatal accident.

"It sounds funny but it can be very dangerous," said one expert.