Snake pictured slithering across car windscreen

This is the moment two engineers were left seriously rattled when a giant snake slithered across their car windscreen.

Published: 10:03AM GMT 06 Nov 2009

James Denton and Morne Aspeling were driving back to their office when the 4ft giant albino snake emerged from the under the bonnet.

James and Morne, both telecom engineers, pulled over and jumped out of the van and called for help. The snake was safely removed from the van and taken to an animal shelter to be cared for in a special reptile-friendly tank.

Mr Denton believes the snake is an escaped pet which crawled under their bonnet to find warmth - but moved when they started the engine.

He said: "As I looked back across the dashboard I saw the head of a snake poking up from the bonnet.

"Needless to say, it was quite a shock and it took me a moment to realise it was real. "When its tongue flicked out and it moved again, we both made a pretty sharp exit from the van."

The workers, both based in Jersey, were rescued by officials at the Jersey Animal Shelter.

Ambulance driver Jonathan Hudson said the animal is either a non venomous corn or milk snake.

He said: "It's not everyday that we get a call to come and collect a live snake from a telecommunications van, so I was curious to see what had been found.

"When I got there the snake was much bigger than I expected at a little under four feet long. I knew right away that it wasn't an indigenous snake so had to be an escapee pet.

"From its markings we think that it is a corn snake or milk snake, both of which are non-venomous, and one of the albino varieties.

"Snakes don't do well in the cold, so my guess is that it was attracted by the warmth of the engine and crawled in there for shelter.

"This is a mature snake that has been a pet for some time and has only recently escaped. We are very keen to see it re-united with its owner."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6506615/Snake-pictured-slithering-across-car-windscreen.html