Fake report of snake release closes part of Shrewsbury's Quarry
A town centre beauty spot was closed after false reports of a boa constrictor being released.
The Dingle gardens in Shrewsbury's Quarry was shut on Tuesday night after an anonymous Crimestoppers tip-off was made. West Mercia Police decided the report must be taken seriously, and were joined by RSPCA officers to search for the snake.
Officers are now satisfied the report was a hoax, and leaders have urged the public not to make false calls.
Inspector Saf Ali said: "We're quite content that it was a hoax. The Dingle has been closed. We had six RSPCA officers and two PCSOs conducting the search.
"It's a big impact on resources, so our message would be please don't make hoax calls. There have not been many I can think of recently. It's a strange one for a hoax call, but thankfully calls are rare."
Shrewsbury Town Council clerk Helen Ball said: "They had to take it seriously. The RSPCA has been there all morning. Hoax calls like that cause disruption. I've had staff there looking for it. Public services are stretched as it is, without having to deal with hoax calls."
The Dingle was expected to be reopened on Wednesday afternoon.
