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A nasty surprise was waiting for a young couple who found a python had taken up residence in their new home.
Hannah Collins, 25, and her partner Rob Cowan have been renovating the house, in Tower Hamlets, Dover for the past month ahead of their move this weekend.
The pair, who live in Thistledown, Walmer, had noticed what they thought was dried glue in various spots throughout the house.
But matters came to a head when former Dover Grammar School girl Hannah found a pile of what she then realised were snake scales below her boiler.
Immigration officer Hannah said: "I screamed and shouted at Rob 'there's a snake in the boiler', but he said that I was being stupid.
"He took the cover off, and that's when we saw a massive shed of skin.
"I completely lost it, I was screaming and jumping and shouting. There were definitely a few expletives in the air."
Rob, 31, removed a flap covering the electronics inside the boiler of the property in Edred Road.
That was when the couple found the green female python coiled around the pipes.
Hannah added: "I'm just glad Rob was here, otherwise I would have run out of the house and gone into complete meltdown.
"It must have been in there for three or four months."
RSPCA officers were called out and came to remove the reptile at around 4.30pm.
They believe the creature to be a youngster due to its 1.5ft length.
A spokesman added: "The RSPCA did receive a call on Friday. Our inspector visited the property and was able to safely disentangle the snake and take it away.
"If you find yourself in the same position, we would advise you to shut the door of the room that it is in and call us.
“If you have any reason to believe that the snake is venomous, you should call the police and local council, who issue the licences and employ specialists who can deal with dangerous wild animals.”
If anyone has any information about the snake's owner, they phone the RSPCA information line on 0300 123 8018 and leave a message for inspector Dave Grant.
