The owner of a Watford bike shop had a fright this morning when he unexpectedly came face-to-face with a large snake.

Richard Neale, of Neale & Sons, in Vicarage Road, discovered the menacing looking Corn Snake when we opened a drawer in his workshop at about 9.45am.

He said: “I don’t know who was more surprised – him or me. It gave me quite a shock so I quickly shut the drawer and even closed the door of the workshop with a broom.

“I’ve only ever see a snake in the zoo. I didn’t know if it was dangerous or not so I called the RSCA and waited for them to remove him. I assume he had crawled in through the back and gone to sleep”

An RSPCA officer arrived soon afterwards and took the metre long, dark-red creature away. It is believed that the snake, which is native to North America, is an escaped pet.