Second stray snake spotted in Sussex village

The 4ft python was spotted by horse riders under a bush in West Ashling

A stray royal python has been found loose in a village, the second discovery in a week.

The reptile was spotted by a horse rider in a layby on Southbrook Road in West Ashling, West Sussex, on Sunday.

It was taken to a local vet for a check-up by the RSPCA.

It comes after another large snake, believed to be a pet, was discovered in a field in the village on 18 September.

RSPCA officer Claire Thomas, who rescued the latest snake, said: "It’s not very often that we get called out to incidents involving large stray snakes so it may be that these incidents are related, though we cannot be sure at this stage.

“We don’t want to cause panic to anyone as royal pythons are not venomous snakes. It concerns us that these snakes have been outdoors just as the weather is getting cooler, as snakes need to be kept warm.”

The animal rescue charity added that it had received reports of a third reptile loose in the same village on Thursday, but the animal could not be found when officers arrived to collect it.

The RSPCA have urged anyone with information regarding the snakes to contact them.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].