Family's fright as snake found under sofa

The snake has been nicknamed Micky by rescuers

A family had a fright when they discovered a 3ft (1m) long snake hiding under their sofa.

Keepers at Ark Wildlife & Dinosaur Park, in Lincolnshire, said they received a call for help on Sunday from a "clearly distraught lady" in Boston who had spotted the reptile's head.

Her husband, Harry Pantziz, admitted he too was “afraid”, adding: "I didn’t know what it was."

Responders said they found the family-of-four "standing outside in the garden" and confirmed the "poor little guy" - which they have named Micky - was a harmless Florida Kingsnake.

Florida Kingsnakes are harmless and are typically about 3ft (1m) in length

Mr Pantziz said: "My wife called someone. We were watching from the window. It was a little scary."

It is thought Micky slithered into the home through an open door. It is not known where he escaped from, with efforts ongoing to track down his owners.

Jamie Mintram, from Ark Wildlife & Dinosaur Park, which collected the slippery intruder, said: "When I turned up, the whole family were standing outside in the garden.

"They were not very happy about his [the snake's] presence."

Mr Mintram said he understood why the family were scared.

"If you aren’t used to snakes, having one turn up in your house in the middle of the night is probably going to freak you out," he admitted.

Jamie Mintram was called to collect the snake

Mr Mintram said he took Micky - who was found to be "lethargic" due to being cold - back to the park.

Now warmed up and fed, the snake "is doing rather well", said Mr Mintram, adding the creature had "become more active".

He added: "We’re keen to see if we can find an owner who might have lost him. Snakes are very good escape artists."

According to Ark Wildlife & Dinosaur Park, Florida Kingsnakes are typically about 3ft (1m) in length but said they had been known to reach 5ft 11in (1.8m).

A spokesperson for the charity said Micky "probably entered the home looking for warmth", noting he "wouldn't have survived for long outside" given the low temperatures.

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