A man’s routine trip to the supermarket turned into a terrifying experience when he discovered a snake hiding in a bag of broccoli he had bought. Neville Linton, a 63-year-old man from Stourbridge, England, had purchased the bag of vegetables from an Aldi branch and stored it in his fridge. It was only when he unwrapped the broccoli to prepare a meal days later that he came face to face with the unexpected guest.
Neville, who works in industrial cleaning, was taken aback by the sight of the snake. Being afraid of snakes, he immediately called his sister for help. Together, they identified the snake and safely stored it in a container before returning to the Aldi store to inform them about the incident.
The reptile turned out to be a young ladder snake, as determined by the specialists at the local zoo where it was taken. However, herpetologist Dr. Steven J R Allain disagrees with this identification. Based on his expertise, he believes the snake is a viperine water snake, a harmless species typically found in southwestern Europe and northern Africa. Dr. Allain explained that it is not uncommon for species from the Mediterranean region to end up in vegetables imported to the United Kingdom. According to him, the snake was likely moving through the field where the broccoli was grown before being unintentionally packed during harvest.
The journey from the field to Neville’s home, and then to the fridge, would have been uncomfortable for the snake. However, viperine water snakes are not dangerous to humans. Dr. Allain emphasized the importance of education and understanding snakes to overcome fear and avoid negative reactions to such situations. He hopes that the snake’s new home at Dudley Zoo can help dispel these fears and promote coexistence with snakes.
As for Neville, he is seeking compensation for the distressing experience he and his family went through. Having a disabled son and a vulnerable mother-in-law living under the same roof, Neville believes the compensation offered by Aldi is insufficient considering the potential risks and emotional impact.
This incident has garnered attention from the local news, sparking various reactions from the public. While Aldi has expressed apologies for not meeting their usual high standards, they maintain that this was an isolated incident and their supplier has never had a complaint of this nature before. Investigations are currently underway to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
