The Daily Mail reports today that a dangerous animals expert was summoned to an Essex yacht club after two police support officers mistook a rubber snake for the real thing.

According to the article, ‘they
called their control room and summoned dangerous animals expert Iain
Newby after spotting the ‘cobra’ draped over one of their bicycles. Just before Mr Newby arrived at Thorpe Bay, Southend, the officers realised the snake was not what it first seemed.

Mr Newby said: ‘I grabbed all the kit I would need to protect myself
from a venomous snake, including a snake hook and my snake stick, which
I need to grab snakes to stop them biting.

‘I spotted the officers beside the yacht club boat yard when they said it was a rubber model. ‘I must admit I laughed and asked if I could keep the snake.’

Mr Newby praised the PCSOs for their quick-thinking. He said: ‘More and more people are keeping things like this as pets and it’s not impossible for them to get loose.

‘So
they did exactly the right thing while they were not sure what they are
dealing with, as even rubber snakes are getting more and more
accurate.’ ‘

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