Snake's alive! Kettering barber's surprise as snake lands on his head

A Kettering barber had a surprise customer when he opened his shop's shutters this morning (Wednesday) - when a snake landed on his head.

Turning up to start his day at Kettering Haircuts in Montagu Street, Kuldip Rai, got more than he bargained for with the reptile first in the queue.

Despite being scared of snakes, Mr Rai managed to coax the 30cm-long silver and black reptile into a bucket, but was too petrified to bring it inside.

He said: "I was opening the shutters and it landed on my head. It gave me a shock."

Mr Rai says it's not the first time it has happened - having gone to the cellar to change a bulb to see a snake he described as being '2m long'.

He said: "I didn't know if it was dangerous, with my heart bypass it might finish me off."

Customer Bobby Bains arrived for a trim not long after the snake was found.

He said: "I was a bit surprised. At first I thought it was a plastic one."

Next door to Mr Rai's shop is Kettering Reptiles, which is closed on Wednesdays. Mr Bains tried to contact them on Mr Rai's behalf.

Mr Bains then called the Northants Telegraph for help after he couldn't contact the RSPCA.

After making contact with Wellingborough's Reptile World UK based in Midland Road, staff kindly agreed to care for the snake.

But after a brief stay in the Northants Telegraph office, the bucket containing the snake was collected by a Kettering Reptiles employee.

He confirmed that the reptile was a baby corn snake - and a hungry one.

He said: "It's quite hungry. It usually eats baby mice."