A TRIP down the high street would normally involve browsing for a new outfit or picking up a loaf of bread.

But Rishton shoppers can now bring home a python or a red eyed tree frog after a new shop opened its doors in High Street.

David McGlynn and Angela Platt spent six months renovating an empty unit before opening Reptile Wonderland .

The shop sells a wide variety of reptiles, including snakes, geckos, bearded dragons, tree frogs and chameleons, and the correct setups needed to house them.

David, 49, said: “I've always loved these animals and it has been my hobby for many years. A lot of pet shops have jumped on the bandwagon with reptiles but they don't always look after them properly. Our shop is specially adapted for them to keep them in the proper conditions.

“We have linked up with another store in Cleveleys and have some very exotic specimens that 90 per cent of people will never have seen before.

“Our supplier gets snakes from America where they are specially bred."

And Angela, 48, said: “We’re local and only live around the corner. We decided to open up because a shop in Cleveleys said we should as there aren’t any around here.

“A lot of these reptiles aren’t really seen anymore. A lot of the snakes are Australian but cannot be imported, they have to be bred here.

“The future of the high street is diversity. A fruit and vegetable shop is opening next door and a clothes shop opened up two doors away, so hopefully we will all do really well.”

Residents who attended the grand opening praised the shop on Facebook.

Romney Whybrow-Parker said: “Been to check the shop out today. Got to say you’re a credit to the reptile shops.”