Neighbours in Bury St Edmunds have spoken of their shock after a six-foot-long snake was spotted making its way along a road and down into a drain.

East Anglian Daily Times: The snake hid from residents in Bury St Edmunds by going down a drain in the road Picture: STEVE BIGGSThe snake hid from residents in Bury St Edmunds by going down a drain in the road Picture: STEVE BIGGS (Image: Contributed)

Residents on the Howard Estate in Bury St Edmunds were concerned the snake might be a poisonous adder.

However a snake expert based in Suffolk has said he believes it to be a non-venomous Northern Pine Snake - which means it is likely to be someone's pet. Steve Biggs, 48, who has lived on the Howard Estate for more than 20 years, photographed the snake as he made his way home.

Steve said: "I was around my neighbour's house when my wife drove home and said she had nearly run over a snake on the road. "I went straight to see it for myself - the snake was at the junction of Anderson Walk and Parkington Walk.

"My neighbour who came with me tried calling the RSPCA but they were closed so he called 101 and they just advised us to leave it alone.

"My neighbour did knock on a couple of doors to see if anyone was missing a snake but no one wanted to claim it. After about five minutes it went down the drain you can see in the photo and disappeared."

"I never thought I would see anything like it in our road," said Steve.

East Anglian Daily Times: Steve Biggs, who has lived on the Howard estate for 20 years, took the picture of the snake on Sunday evening Picture: STEVE BIGGSSteve Biggs, who has lived on the Howard estate for 20 years, took the picture of the snake on Sunday evening Picture: STEVE BIGGS (Image: Contributed)

Rickie Clarke, manager of Viking Aquatics in Ipswich said: "The snake will definitely be someone's pet, Northern Pine Snakes come from the United States.

"Northern Pine Snakes kill their prey including mice, rats and sometimes small by birds by constricting - this means they wrap around their prey to kill it.

"The snake will have gone down the drain to get out of the way of people, it is likely to come out again in the evening.

"If the snake is seen in the day it will be basking in the sun warming up," said Rickie.

East Anglian Daily Times: The snake was seen making its way along a street on the Howard Estate in Bury St Edmunds last night Picture: STEVE BIGGSThe snake was seen making its way along a street on the Howard Estate in Bury St Edmunds last night Picture: STEVE BIGGS (Image: CONTRIBUTED)

East Anglian Daily Times: The snake spotted in Bury St Edmunds was reportedly six-foot-long Picture: STEVE BIGGSThe snake spotted in Bury St Edmunds was reportedly six-foot-long Picture: STEVE BIGGS (Image: Contributed)