Snake fails to charm Shropshire family after slippery encounter in back garden
Here's a slippery customer, who gave one elderly Shropshire couple the fright of their lives.
Beryl and Eric Law were just about to say goodbye to their family in Tasley, near Bridgnorth, when they stumbled across the snake sunbathing in their back garden.
Daughter-in-law Sue Law said they tried to collect the snake in a box – but when it made a hissing noise they quickly changed their minds.
Mrs Law said when they returned after finally getting through to the RSPCA the snake had slithered back off into the countryside, somewhere near Hook Farm Road.
She said: "We were saying our goodbyes one sunny afternoon in August and when we made our way to the garden we saw the snake. We spent about 40 minutes trying to get through to the RSPCA because it was not classed as an injured or wild animal.
"When we returned it had gone and we never found out what happened to it."
Mrs Law said the picture showed the snake was at least two metres long and she was concerned it could still be lurking nearby.
"We did try and shoo it into a box but it opened itself out, hissed at us and then tucked itself up underneath a hedge," she said. "It was originally just sunbathing on the concrete but it must have eventually just slithered away.
"No one seems to know what happened to it and my in-laws are nervous it could still be out there. But somebody might know what it is and can reassure everyone it is not a threat."
Sophie Wilkinson, RSPCA regional media manager, said: "Our wildlife department has advised that it looks like a corn snake, which is not venomous.
"However, it can be difficult to identify solely from photos so we must stress that this is not a definitive identification.
"Our advice would be not to approach the snake if seen again and instead call our cruelty and advice line, and monitor from a distance."
The advice line is on 0300 1234999.
