'Escape artist' snake missing for two months found alive in car door

A "talented escape artist" snake that had been missing for two months has been rescued after it was found curled up in a car door.

The milk snake had escaped its home and had slithered its way to a residential care home in Dorking, Surrey, where it was spotted in the car park.

RSPCA animal rescuer Louis Horton was called to the care home after the reptile was found.

He said: "The snake slithered inside a parked car and we managed to get the keys and search the whole 4x4. We looked in the engine, underneath and couldn't find him anywhere.

"Then, when we looked in the boot, we spotted him curled up in the groove along the top of the door."

Mr Horton said the RSPCA initially took care of the snake after it was discovered - but it was reunited with its owner shortly afterwards.

He said: "Thankfully, it didn't take us long to find his owner. It turns out he'd escaped through an open window and gone on the run. He'd been missing for two months.

"It was lovely to take him home and reunite him with his owner.

"Milk snakes are not dangerous but coral snakes are highly venomous so they did the right thing calling us for help."

Mr Horton added that snakes are "talented escape artists" and can push their way out of the tightest of enclosures.

He urged snake owners to make sure their vivariums are always kept secure and locked.