Grass snake causes chaos at warehouseA GRASS snake caused mass panic at a plumbers' merchant.
One of the warehouses had to be closed at Ashworth's in Higher Ainsworth Road, Radcliffe, for almost six hours when the two-and-a-half foot reptile was discovered by an employee.
The doors were closed and staff were barred from entering the warehouse amid fears it was a rare and poisonous snake which had been brought to England in a shipment of pipes from India.
Two brave employees were given the task of guarding the snake while staff waited nervously for experts to arrive and identify the reptile.
It is believed the snake, which was green with a black and white collar, lashed out at one of the warehouse employees, before falling asleep in a corner.
Finally, after faxing photographs and relaying a description to snake experts at the Reptile Rescue Centre in Hawkshaw, staff at Ashworth's were reassured the snake was a harmless grass snake, native to England. It was taken to the centre just before 6pm yesterday.
Antony Poppleton, of Sain-Gobain, the parent company of Ashworth's, said: "The manager did exactly as we would have expected him to do.
"There had been a crate of pipes that had come into the warehouse that morning from India and we were unsure what the snake was, whether it was a humble grass snake, or something far more sinister.
"The warehouse was immediately closed until we could get an expert to confirm it was a grass snake."
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/search/display.var.1649082.0.grass_snake_causes_chaos_at_warehouse.php
Small snake’s big trouble
THIS is Fred - the snake who caused chaos at a warehouse in Radcliffe.
The grass snake was discovered at Ashworth's plumbers' merchants in Higher Ainsworth Road and the warehouse had to be closed for six hours on Tuesday amid fears it could be poisonous. But today he is resting in a rescue centre in Tonge Moor, where his new carer, Denise Frain, held him in the palm of her hand.
Mrs Frain runs the centre from her house in Cartmel Crescent, where there are a number of reptile residents including iguanas and tortoises.
She said: "Since I opened the centre in May, 2005, we have rescued 235 animals, but this is the first grass snake we have had.
"They are native to England but are usually found in Derbyshire or the Lake District. They are quite rare in this area.
"Fred has soon become part of the family and he will be rehabilitated here for the next few weeks."
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/search/display.var.1652127.0.small_snakes_big_trouble.php
Sadly the Fred died just before christmas, showed no signs of ill health etc, but of course we have no idea of his age.
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, ja, i have to agree with you, the venomous aspect does make a huge difference. Are grassies the reptile version of the skunk? 
