People living on the Howard Estate in Bury St Edmunds are breathing a sigh of relief this afternoon after a six-foot-long pet snake was rescued by a brave neighbour.
The female Northern Pine snake, which went down a drain yesterday evening, has now been reunited with its owner who is extremely grateful she has been found.
Despite being non-venomous the snake caused quite a stir on social media, with people speculating on its species and who it belonged too.
Liam Hayes, who lives in Wollaston Close in Bury announced he had found the snake on the Howard Estate Commmunity Facebook page.
He said: "I just picked it up and gently put it in a pillow case, I was not nervous at all, I have a lot of experience handling reptiles."
Steve Biggs, who took pictures of the snake yesterday evening said he was glad the story of the 'snake in a drain' had a happy ending.
He said: "It's great news the snake has been rescued and will be going back to it's owner.
"And it's also reassuring to know it was not venomous and that all those people who were concerned that it might have been can safely walk the streets again."
A spokesman for the RSPCA said: "It is always very important to correctly identify a species and if people are not sure they should never approach or attempt to handle them.
"If anyone finds a snake in need of help, they should keep a safe distance, and contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 for help and advice.
"Many of the snakes the RSPCA's officers are called to collect are thought to be escaped pets.
"We would always recommend owners invest in an enclosure suitable for the particular species and that the enclosure is kept secure when unattended.
"Reptiles, particularly snakes, can be extremely good escape artists and will take the opportunity of a gap in an enclosure door, or a loose-fitting lid.
"The RSPCA collects more snakes over the summer months. It is possible that some of these are escapees becoming more active in warmer weather. It is also possible that this could be due to snakes having more opportunity to escape.
"It is good for reptiles to be allowed the opportunity for natural sunlight, however we would urge owners to ensure that their reptile is kept secure when doing so, as reptiles can warm up and become very quick to move on a sunny day."
Read more: Snakes in a drain! Runaway reptile seen on Suffolk estate.
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