A midnight visitor

About two years ago I was waiting for a bus at the top of my road in the dusk, and saw a very large rat scurrying towards me. The size of the beast and its proximity to my house turned my stomach and gave me visions of vast colonies of the bastard things, burrowing underground and infesting the local neighbourhood.

Thankfully in the two years since that incident I've only seen one other (live) rat in the vicinity - but they still give me the screaming heebeejeebees. Last night I had that sinking feeling again, as at midnight I walked down my street after shooting a gig by The Vigours in south London.

From a distance of about 100 feet I saw something large shuffling along, silhouetted in the stark soduim yellow streetlamp outside my house. It was obviously curious - paying attention to the verges of the pavement where the gardens finish and the flagstones begin.

I stamped my feet to try to scare it away. It paid no attention.

I clicked my fingers and made "Ttscchhh!!" sounds to no avail.

Then it moved into the centre of the pavement - and I saw (with great relief) that it was not a rat at all, but something quite different. Can you guess what it was? A clue: much more friendly and useful!