June Ward (78), of Warbon Avenue, Peterborough, couldn't believe her eyes when she came face to face with a snake curled up in her garage.

The albino corn snake, normally found in the wild in North America, is thought to have escaped from a nearby property.

Mrs Ward contacted the RSPCA, who sent an officer to her home and removed the reptile to a temporary location, while awaiting the owner to come forward.

Mrs Ward said: "I was shocked and couldn't believe my eyes at first. Snakes are the one thing I really can't stand.

"I called my daughter, who was in the house with me, to have a look. She thought I was playing a trick on her.

"To begin with I thought I might have brought it in the house with my fruit and vegetables, but then realised it must have escaped from somewhere.

"We knew it wasn't a British snake, so I called the RSPCA. They said it was only about a year old and could not have travelled far. I can't imagine why anyone would want to keep something like that as a pet."

Her grandson, Ben Davis (23), from Stanground, Peterborough, who went over, said: "It was curled up, and when I went closer to have a look, the snake speedily slithered away down the side of a box. It was a bit unnerving."

An RSPCA spokesman said: "A member of the public contacted our National Control Centre to report a snake which was curled up asleep in their garage.

"An RSPCA animal collection officer visited the property, where the homeowner had isolated the snake by placing a box over it, so it could not escape.

"The snake was taken to the RSPCA's East Winch Wildlife Centre, in Norfolk, before being given a temporary home by a local expert while it waits for its owners to claim their pet.

"It is not unusual for callers to report finding small corn snakes in their homes which have managed to escape from elsewhere. If someone finds a snake and is unsure whether it is native or exotic, the RSPCA's advice would be to always assume the snake is dangerous.

"If the snake is native to the UK and outside in a safe environment, people should leave it alone."

Factfile: corn snake
THE corn snake originates from North America, getting its name from the fields where it is regularly found.

It was one of the first snakes to be kept in captivity and remains
among the most popular, although they are renowned for being excellent escape artists.

They are non-venomous constrictors which prey on small rodents.

Adult snakes can grow to up to 6ft long and can live to 25 years.

They are known for being docile in nature and reluctant to bite.

In the wild, corn snakes tend to be quite secretive and are active mostly at night or during the twilight hours. During the day they may be found hiding under loose tree bark, or beneath logs, rocks and other debris.