Rat snakes based in a disused polytunnel are set to work their charm on visitors to an A140 attraction at Mendlesham.

The Chilli Farm based on the A140 near Mendlesham has taken on 11 rat snakes, which are native to South America and are of varying sizes and colour, as the latest attraction at its South American-inspired Chilli Farm Trail.

“They are all harmless and are happy to be handled” said farm owner Adrian Nuttall. “We’re constantly looking for new ways to enhance the farm for visitors and this was a great use of a redundant polytunnel.”

“We believe this is the only undercover open-top snake pit in the country too. We’re hoping to add two more, smaller pits later in the year for frogs, toads and perhaps some other reptiles.

“The pits have been hand-made from marine plywood and we would love someone artistic to volunteer to decorate the outside with images of snakes and reptiles.”

The snake pit is the latest addition to the farm trail, which also has alpacas, rheas, South American ducks and chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits and pigs, and a summer Chilli plant display.