Hero British mine clearance worker murdered in Cambodia honoured with giant bomb-sniffing rat Updated: 0:38, 13 Jul 2021 A HERO British mine clearance worker murdered in Cambodia has been honoured with a giant bomb-sniffing rat. Army veteran Christopher Howes was just 36 when he was killed by Khmer Rouge fanatics as he risked his life to clear landmines in 1996. 2 Hero British mine clearance worker Christopher Howes Now a giant African pouched rat — which grow as large as a cat — has been named Howes. The rats are trained to sniff out explosives. Chris’s sister, Pat Philips, said it was a fitting tribute to a brave and exceptional man.