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It's reported we could see an increase in vermin because of the hot summer we had. Rats breed more in warm weather and experts say good crop yields meant there was loads of food for them thrive on.

It follows recent reports in Britain which suggested mutant rats are on the rise because they're not being killed off by traditional poisons.

It's news that is likely to make anyone with with a phobia of vermin shudder. The fear of mouse or rats - referred to as musophobia, murophobia or suriphobia - is one of the most common of all phobias. Other common fears include the familiar likes of claustrophobia (tight spaces), acrophobia (heights), spiders (arachnophobia) or fear of flying.

Some phobias can make it extremely difficult to function in society. Aquaphobia sees people terrified of water, while agoraphobia - fear of crowds or public spaces - can leave sufferers so scared that they are unable to leave their homes. Astraphobia (fear of thunder and lightning) is also relatively common.

Then there are the more unusual and specific phobias - a fear of something so seemingly innocuous it might provide non-sufferers with a chuckle, but can leave those affected genuinely terrified and unable to do anything about it. These can include fears of specific colours, the number 13 (triskaidekaphobia), clowns (coulrophobia), balloons (globophobia) or individual foodstuffs such as tomatoes or cheese.

George Orwell came up with concept of Room 101 in his novel 1984 - where an individual would be tortured with their own worst fear. The idea even spawned a comedy TV show that sees celebrities confess their deepest fears and dislikes:

What would be in your own personal Room 101? What's your biggest fear or phobia? Is it something common or more unusual? Or have you yet to discover something of which you're irrationally terrified of? Vote in our poll and leave your comments below.