Snake made bid for freedom in Blackburn owner's car

12:00pm Sunday 26th August 2012 in News

Ann-Marie Frith with Scapey Ann-Marie Frith with Scapey

SCAPEY the snake proved to be a slippery customer when he made a slither for it in his new owner’s car.

The three foot long bright orange corn snake was en-route to his new home in Blackburn when he sneaked out of his plastic storage container and disappeared.

His new owner Ann-Marie Frith, who lives in Manxman Road, only noticed that Scapey, as he has now been nicknamed, was missing when she peered over while driving along the motorway.

The 29-year-old mum-of-four pulled over onto the hard shoulder, but could not find the reptile anywhere.

She said: “On the way back I saw one of the lids had not been shut properly and the snake escaped.

“It is still in my car, we cannot find it at all.”

Mrs Frith had been to Warrington to pick up a breeding pair of the corn snakes to join her ever growing reptilian family, which also includes seven other snakes and 11 geckos.

Mrs Frith and her husband Chris called the fire brigade when she arrived home to help take her black Ford Mondeo apart to see if Scapey was hiding behind the dashboard.

When that didn’t work they set up a warm polystyrene bed with some food to try and entice the serpent out, but he has still not emerged from his hiding place.

Mrs Frith said: “We really need a mechanic who can dismantle a Ford Mondeo to come and help us now.

“Corn snakes make really good pets, especially for beginners because they don’t need much as long as you get the right heat and food for them.

“They are pretty easy to keep and are just like any other animal, you can get some that bite an

Comments(12)

jack daniels says...
12:07pm Sun 26 Aug 12

A new low for the telegraph.

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alphadelta says...
12:24pm Sun 26 Aug 12

Another instance of wasting the time of the fire brigade, and wasting tax-payers' money. There was no emergency; why should the fire brigade be involved in searching for a snake? Indeed, one may wonder why they attended.

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California Blue says...
12:44pm Sun 26 Aug 12

Wow! This isn't local news this is international news. Once this story is picked up by the national networks I'm sure the government will realise its a good day to bury bad news and release some tax increase news or something equally earth shattering.

Has nobody had sex with a horse this week?

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Info-warrior says...
12:52pm Sun 26 Aug 12

Mrs Frith and her husband Chris called the fire brigade. WTF

Exactly how many firemen were tied up on this emergency and how long did it take for the firemen to solve this. If you wish to take your car apart to find a snake your obviously not responsible enough to look after you should call a mechanic. Lets hope that the decision of the fire service to attend this stupid emergency had been made before they had used all other possible resources to find the snake?? If not then the fire service need to address what they define as emergencies especially in a time of cut backs and loss of their own jobs. Either way surely they should be sending the bill for their time to the irresponsible pet owners who create pets problems by their own irreponsibility and carelessness..

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happycyclist says...
2:58pm Sun 26 Aug 12

My bike has a puncture. I've just rung 999 and asked for the fire service.

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Michael@ClitheroeSince58 says...
4:56pm Sun 26 Aug 12

accy lad and proud wrote:
California Blue wrote:
Wow! This isn't local news this is international news. Once this story is picked up by the national networks I'm sure the government will realise its a good day to bury bad news and release some tax increase news or something equally earth shattering. Has nobody had sex with a horse this week?
Don't know about horses, but by the sultry look on her face I'd be worried about the safety of the Snake !!!
I noticed that look as well she seems a bit foxy to me

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peely says...
6:49pm Sun 26 Aug 12

alphadelta wrote:
Another instance of wasting the time of the fire brigade, and wasting tax-payers' money. There was no emergency; why should the fire brigade be involved in searching for a snake? Indeed, one may wonder why they attended.
Absolutely why should the fire service attend - if they gave 'em a bill for attending maybe they,d think differently - waste of taxpayers money ! Charge 'em !

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IanHuddy says...
7:05pm Sun 26 Aug 12

If I were so clumsy as to lose a snake after having neglected to properly secure it, thereby burdening the already stretched emergency services, the last thing I would want is for my stupidity to be highlighted by making an exhibition of myself in the local rag.

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Is Eckersley playing? says...
7:31pm Sun 26 Aug 12

It appears this lady has a number of reptiles and has just bought yet another. I do hope she has sufficient time to look after her four children. There is no evidence of her having a partner/husband as he wasn't available to help her with her car. Has she got her priorities right?

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Redbike says...
10:36pm Sun 26 Aug 12

If it's a Mondeo then it'll have escaped through one of the rust holes in the floor........

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JPB says...
9:49am Mon 27 Aug 12

the comment section as ever makes better reading than the actual story. ha ha.

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Izanears says...
4:35pm Mon 27 Aug 12

Shades of Captain Mainwaring comments about Pike. Only change the gender.

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