Five monster 16m pythons spotted on the loose in UK countryside sparking alarm

Five huge 16 feet pythons have been spotted slithering through woodland in the UK countryside sparking alarm and a warning from police.

The giant reticulated pythons - which are the world's longest species of snake - were dumped by a cruel pet owner in north Lincolnshire and have now been rescued. The alarming discovery prompted Humberside Police to issue a warning to pet owners to keep dogs on leads as the snakes are known for 'crushing prey to death.' Four of the huge reptiles were recovered after being spotted slithering around in the undergrowth in the Twigmoor and Cleatham areas on June 13 and 14.

A fifth python was then seen by a passing motorist last Saturday and all were taken to RSG Reptiles in Alford where they are now recovering. Giant reticulated pythons are found in parts of Southeast Asia in the wild, can weigh up to 75kg, and feast on primates, pigs and even deer. RSG Reptiles owner Rob Stokes said the exotic non-native snakes were most likely dumped by a callous pet owner who no longer wanted them.

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Rob, 45, and his son George, 15, found one of pythons in some bushes near to his van after being called in by police to help search for them. Dad-of-one Rob, who runs the business with wife Susan, 41, said: “They’re all reticulated pythons, the longest species of snake in the world, they’re pretty impressive.

“The first one was 18ft and 50kg. They’re clearly somebody’s pet and unfortunately people struggle with money and they did the wrong thing and dumped them. They dumped them in two locations, three in one and two in another. They were basically left to fend for themselves in the woods.

“In terms of risk to the public, they were pretty low. If someone was poking it or interfering with it, there is a possibility of it turning around and biting. It would bite and let go.

“Snakes don’t want to attack, the last thing they want to do is bite. The biggest risk is people's pets and wildlife. Small animals, small dogs would be a nice meal for them.

“I found one in the bushes myself, George and I went to have a look around the bushes and found one ourselves. It was in the bushes near our van. The first four weren’t too bad, one lump we needed to check out, but they were mainly just dehydrated.

“They had mites which is not uncommon but we’ve had to treat them for that. We usually treat them with a flea treatment, which can be quite costly at £30ish a bottle. We did think we had got them all but felt there could be one more outstanding. When we got the call from the police for the fifth one, we were quite happy but horrified it was left out there.

“This fifth one has some respiratory issues and has maggots on it as well. It’s very difficult for these animals to get rid of parasites if there’s no water for it to swim in. We’ve had a warm couple of weeks here which would’ve helped but the night temperature drop off isn’t good for them.

“Such a big snake needs a lot of antibiotics, we have to give it an antibiotic injection every three days. It’s a long process and will take a month, maybe even longer." Rob says they are now faced with a £15,000 bill to build suitably-sized cages for the huge beasts.

He added: “We’ve now got to build some massive enclosures for them. We’re fundraising for them and the vet bills as it gets expensive when you add it all up. I think they’re going to stay with us, they just need a forever home.

"We’re reptile people so we’re quite happy for them to stay with us. If we do rehome, they’ll be going to a professional, not a hobby keeper. These animals are huge. An 18ft snake needs ideally an 18ft enclosure. The bigger ones get dumped first as they’re the most expensive.

"They’re really simple to look after, you spot clean it after they go to the loo. And then you clean it once a month. You probably spend £20. If you hit hard times, that becomes a big chunk. The cost of everything has gone up in the last few years, your life can change overnight.

There’s loads of us out there in the reptile community who can help out, dumping them in the bushes like that was unacceptable.” Humberside Police said its rural task force was investigating offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

A police spokesperson said: "Inquiries are continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the reports and identify those involved, and we would appeal to anyone who has information to contact us."

After the first four were discovered, the force said: "They are believed to be Reticulated Pythons. The reticulated Python is the longest species on earth. It is a non venomous constrictor snake. In the wild, they will kill their prey by biting it and then coiling around it to literally squeeze the life out of it.

“In the event that you find one in the wild in the UK, please call police immediately. DO NOT try to catch it yourself, keep an eye on it and give a What3Words location to the police so it can be assessed by an expert and collected appropriately.

"We would advise keeping dogs on a lead in the areas where these snakes were found. These Snakes will not attack you. They will only try to defend themselves if they feel threatened."