Police were called to deal with an escaped snake after a terrified family dialled 999 to report a 5ft serpent slithering across their living room. A horrified dad contacted emergency services after spotting the black and white reptile inside his flat and ushered his kids into another room.
Officers attended the scene in Hodge Hill, Birmingham, and were forced to catch the snake themselves as the RSPCA were unavailable last Sunday (12/6). They used a grabber and a pillow case to rescue the 1.5 metre animal from underneath a sofa before taking it to a local reptile house.
A response officer can be heard on body-worn camera joking “do I need to record the time of arrest?” West Midlands Police believe the snake could have got into the property through the pipe system.
(Image: West Midlands Police / SWNS)
A force spokesperson said: “A police officer’s day is never dull – as one of our response teams found when called to help a family who’d found a snake in their home. We took an emergency call on Sunday night from a dad who’d found the 1.5-metre snake slithering across their lounge floor.
“Worried the black and white snake could be venomous he quickly moved his children to another room and called us for help. RSPCA colleagues weren’t able to attend until the morning so our officers went to lend a hand – equipped with a grabber and pillow case.
“They found the snake underneath a sofa and managed to safely pop it unto the case and take it to a local reptile house.
“One of our call centre staff – our in-house reptile expert having worked in animal research for the University of British Columbia – had offered advice on the likely type of snake and handling tips.
“We’re not sure how the snake got into the flat in Hodge Hill, Birmingham. It’s suspected it may have got in through the pipe system.
“The snake is absolutely fine and will be looking for a new home.”