A schoolboy left devastated by the death of his pet rat has had the animal stuffed and turned -- into a FLYING rodent.
Pepeijn Bruins, 13, was heartbroken when his pet Ratjetoe - Dutch for Rattatouille - was stricken with cancer and he had to have him put down.
But inventors Arjen Beltman and Bart Jansen came to his aid and stuffed the rat and attach radio-controlled propellers to let it fly.
The result is the world's first airborne rat, which follows the bonkers Dutchmen's previous work - a flying cat.
Pepeijn said: "I loved him very much. He always liked to be cuddled and he would run up my clothes and hide.
"When I learned he had cancer and the vet had to put him to sleep I was very upset.
"I had seen Bart and Arjen and their flying cat, and I asked my dad if it would be possible to have the rat fly."
The rat has three propellers and an on board computer, which receives directions from the remote control.
Bart and Arjen have also made a flying ostrich and are working on a jet-propelled flying shark.
Arjen said: "When I heard the boy's rat had died of cancer, and how upset he was, I just knew I had to help.
"Technically, it was very different to the cat, it has three rotors instead of four, and being a small rodent, it is extremely lightweight, so prone to being blown by the wind."
Bart added: "Flight is man's greatest achievement, so why not give it to more animals? The world needs more flying animals."
Their weird work is showcased today (Weds) in a documentary on bizarre the world of taxidermy.
All Creatures Great and Stuffed, on Channel 4 at 10pm, follows the crazy lives of taxidermists around the world.
Matt Rudge, who directed the film, said: "Everything I caught on camera during this documentary was jaw dropping, from a man that freeze dries beloved dead pets for their grieving owners, to a shop selling creations made from roadkill.
"However, the inventions of Bart and Arjen were something else. I never thought I would see a cat fly, let alone it also flying after a rat with propellers.
"When they then told me their next plan was for a Jet powered Shark, i thought they were winding me up. But three months later it was ready to launch."
