A boa constrictor escaped and became trapped in an air vent, before wrapping itself around its owners arm.

Fire crews had to be called to the woman's home in Bronte Road on Saturday night to rescue the woman and free the snake.

The woman, aged in her 20s, had put her adult boa constrictor into a temporary vivarium while she cleaned out its larger main vivarium.

While it was in there the snake tried to get through an air vent and wedged itself in the hole.

When the on-call crew from Witham fire station arrived at 9pm the snake had also wrapped itself around the lower part of the woman's arm.

Firefighters placed a pillowcase over the snake's head and then worked to make the air vent hole bigger, to allow it to escape.

They also helped the woman release her arm and made sure she was comfortable.

The woman was not injured in the incident.