Woman wakes to find she is sharing bed with 3ft python

A WOMAN got the “fright of her life” when she woke up to discover a 3ftlong snake curled up in her bed in west London.

The royal python, believed to be an escaped pet, had snuggled up next to her in the night as she slept at her home in Kensington.

After jumping out of bed, the woman, who has not been named, rushed out of her bedroom, thinking she had trapped the animal.

But officers from the RSPCA, who attended the west London property on Monday, were not immediately able to locate the African python. It was only discovered the next day as it made its way down the hallway.

Speaking yesterday, RSPCA animal collection officer Jill Sanders, who eventually snared the python, said: “Reptiles, particularly snakes, can be extremely good escape artists and will take the opportunity of a gap in an enclosure door, or a loosefitting lid.

“The poor resident must have had the fright of their life waking up to a snake in their bed.

“They jumped out of bed and closed their bedroom door to contain the snake. But when I arrived, I couldn’t find where the python had slithered to.”

Ms Saunders added: “I left my details and told them to contact me as soon as they saw it again.

“I’ve been called out to a number of stray snakes in recent weeks and many of these appear to be escaped pets.”

It is unclear how the animal got inside the Kensington property, but the RSPCA said it is likely to have escaped from its owner nearby.

Snakes are more likely to escape in summer as they have more energy during warm weather.

A spokesman for the RSPCA added: “Reptiles seem to have increased in popularity as pets in recent years, and the number of related incidents dealt with by the RSPCA has risen.

“We are finding that many people are unaware of how much of a commitment these animals are when they take them on, which we believe may be why we are rescuing hundreds of reptiles every year.”

Royal pythons, which originate in West Africa, are popular pets and can grow up to 5ft, living up to 30 years in captivity. They are typically docile in nature, and pose no threat to humans.