Snake rescued from house in Portsmouth after winding itself around roof rafters

Hampshire Fire and Rescue’s Animal Rescue Team was called to the house in Fratton yesterday afternoon after the 11-year-old corn snake named Anna Cornda escaped while the owners were cleaning its vivarium.

Watch manager and animal rescue specialist, Anton Phillips said: ‘We were called at 3.39pm to the house in Fratton by the RSPCA as the cornsnake had slithered out to the edge of the roof and was trapped in the fascia box with its tail hanging down.

‘It was going to be difficult to get and we thought through different ways to try and get it and in the end we took out the double glazing nearest to its tail and I pulled gently.’

Anton then realised the snake was wrapped round the rafters in the roof.

He said: ‘I thought if I pull any harder it will hurt the snake so myself and my RSPCA colleagues decided the best thing was to let go and hope it went back in the roof for safety.

‘And as soon as I did let go it shot in the roof and I ran up to the roof extension and by sheer luck it was slithering towards me because if it had gone into the insulation we may not have found it for months and it probably would have perished.’

Anton, who has worked for the fire service for 41 years and in the animal unit since 1995, added: ‘The owner was very glad to get her snake back and although we are used to dealing with cows, horses and bigger animals we are all trained to help with any animal in a situation where they are stuck or need to be rescued.’