Residents in a small town in the north-eastern Australian state of Queensland said they have been "held hostage," by a massive invasion of bats that outnumbers the locals twenty-to-one.

More than 200,000 flying foxes, the world's largest bats, have overrun the Charters Towers' residents since last week, the mayor of the town told DPA yesterday.

The local council has already shut down two public parks, a swimming pool run by the council, and a few other public spaces.

Frustrated residents took to the streets over the weekend in a march against the town's council, saying the problem had reached "a tipping point" and calling for action over the "plague of terror."