A HORRIFIED man found an escaped 3ft-long snake dangling from his oven.

David Atherton had left his oven on to preheat, and was opening it to put on some food, when he saw the reptile hanging at its side.

As the retired 65-year-old watched, the black and white snake – now identified as a banded California king – fell onto the floor of his kitchen in Halliwell and curled up.

Mr Atherton, of Gladstone Close, said: “When I pulled down the oven door this black and white thing was hanging down from the side of it.

“It was about an inch thick and at first I thought it was part of a packet, but then I realised it was a snake.

“There is a small gap between the oven and the fitted cupboards, which must be what it came through.

“You could not make it up. It is not something that happens every day.”

Mr Atherton put the snake in a plastic food recycling box, and when police arrived at about 6.25pm it was moved to an empty bin for safekeeping.

RSPCA officers retrieved the snake at 9.15pm the same evening and the escapee has found a temporary home with Atherton conservationist and reptile enthusiast Crocodile Joe.

Mr Atherton’s sister Margaret Meadows, who is in her seventies, has a huge phobia of snakes and suffers from heart problems.

While she did not see the snake, after hearing about what happened she became distressed and was taken by a family member to the Royal Bolton Hospital – where she remains in a stable condition.

Mr Atherton added: “Her phobia is so bad she cannot even look at a snake on TV, let alone see one in real life.

“I would not like to hazard a guess as to what would have happened if she had been the one to open the oven and see it. It could have been much worse.

“Nobody is saying Margaret is in hospital as a direct result of what happened, it is not what put her in hospital, but obviously it hasn’t helped either.”

Crocodile Joe said banded California king snakes can grow up to 6ft in length and as thick as a broom handle – and said the Halliwell escapee was a “beautiful” specimen.

He added: “Banded California king snakes are commonly kept as pets in the UK and live for an average of 15 years in captivity, although it is not uncommon for them to reach 20 years with appropriate care.

“They have a relatively docile temperament and can be easily tamed. They are energetic and inquisitive and make very interesting pets.

“They are easy and safe to handle, growing to a manageable size and make a good choice for people who are new to snake keeping.”

RSPCA inspector Melissa Furey said the RSPCA commonly see a big influx of snakes coming out in April, as the weather gets warmer.

She added: “It is the time of year when they come out basking in the sun – this is the second escaped snake in just over a week which has made an appearance in Greater Manchester.

“Pet owners need to be responsible and make sure they have the correct equipment, vivariums with locks, because snakes are really good escape artists and can slip through the smallest of gaps.”

The snake’s owner can call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 and ask for inspector Melissa Furey.