A Biggleswade snake lover came to the aid of a Sandy woman who was rattled after discovering one in her garden this week.

Sonia Whitby, who lives with her partner Graeme Gadsby in Barnet Close in the town, was alerted on social media to a cream-coloured corn snake which had been discovered slithering in a garden in Sandy.

Caring Sonia contacted the woman to reassure her the apparently venomous viper was actually a civil serpent – and wasn’t poisonous – after the lady asked a Sandy Facebook group if the species was dangerous.

She then had the bright idea of getting Graeme to embark on a lunchtime mercy mission dash to the woman’s home from his job as a yardsman at Build Base in the town.

Mum of three Sonia told the Comet: “Some people were saying it was a poisonous python – but once Graeme saw a picture of it he knew it wasn’t.

“Graeme picked up the 3ft snake and took it back to his work for the afternoon.

“I think he kept it in a safe place in the canteen. Some of his workmates were a bit wary but he’s an expert, and the snake was safe and well-looked after. He loves snakes and has 18 tanks with 25 reptiles in our house with the largest being a 6ft python.

“Ironically I’m not a big fan of snakes – but he’s absolutely passionate about them.

“I really hope we can find its original owner and reunite them with their pet – as corn snakes are not normally found in our habitat so it must have escaped from a tank. We haven’t had much time to give it a nickname – certainly not with Graeme’s other 25 snakes in the house.”

Corn snakes are a North American species of rat snake that subdues its small prey by constricting them. It is found throughout the southeastern and central US. Their docile nature and reluctance to bite makes them popular pet snakes. Experts insist the corn snake is so-called because its checkered belly scales resemble kernels of corn.

Do you recognise the corn snake Sonia and Graeme are looking after? If you think it’s your slippery snake that stealthily slithered off somehow – then please call the Comet newsdesk on 01438 866200 so we can help reunite the reptile our journalists have nicknamed ‘Cornflake the corn snake’ with its owner.