Family on blackberry hunt stumble across python

A family who were on the hunt for blackberries in a city park stumbled across a python that has been missing after escaping a week ago.

Tom Gallant was with his wife and young daughter and new-born son in Ley Hill Park in Northfield, Birmingham, when they made the discovery.

Mr Gallant said they joked about looking out for it on the way to the park and 20 minutes later it was curled up in front of them near a bench and some bushes.

He posted the find in the area's WhatsApp group and a man familiar with handling snakes retrieved it to take to the RSPCA, he said.

"We were quite shocked," he told BBC News.

"We'd said when we set off we should keep an eye for the snake and 20 minutes later we're picking blackberries, and there it was."

Several sightings in the park had been reported last week, according to the Friends of Ley Hill Park's Facebook group.

The Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park said the snake "appeared" to be a royal python, also called ball pythons.

People were urged not to approach it, but report sightings to the RSPCA.

Les Basford, manager of Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park, which is based about five miles away, said if it was surprised, it could strike but generally they were very passive reptiles.

The snake remained curled up and did not seem alarmed at being spotted by the family, Mr Gallant said.

"My wife spotted it and my daughter screamed at first," he added.

"She could have stood on it and perhaps been bitten.

"But I posted it in the community group that we'd found it and a South African man who said he had kept anacondas and pythons, said he would come and collect it and take it to the RSPCA.

"He said it was a ball python, still harmless, and it was a bit smaller than the reports had been - about 3ft not 5ft.

"To me it had markings of something dangerous but he just picked it up and it was fine."

The snake was cold to the touch and nestled at the edge of bushes, he said.

"We go to the park fairly often and we knew people had been out most days looking for it," he added.

"It's nice to know it's been found and not harmed and we got lots of comments in group thanking us and saying well done."

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