One man’s enjoyable trip to the grocery store took an unexpected turn when he discovered a snake had made its way inside his purchases. Once the animal had taken up residence among his food supplies at home, the finding was made.
Neville Linton, 63, purchased a bag of broccoli at the Aldi supermarket in Stourbridge, England, last month. After being kept in the fridge for three days, he didn’t see the unexpected visitor until he started meal preparation.
It made sense that Neville, an industrial cleaner in the area, was rattled. “It was really shocking. He said, “I’m not good with snakes.” The unexpectedly unruly broccoli may have caused even more havoc if it had been left outside, as the person commented, “I’m just relieved it didn’t get into the house with the family members nearby.”
When Neville realized this was no ordinary bug, he called his sister, who assisted in identifying it as a juvenile snake. After taking great care to confine it, they went back to the store to get help.
“I flinched as it moved, even though at first it seemed unbelievable. Neville recalled that “even the staff member was startled.” The creature was then examined by zoo specialists in the area, who determined that it was a juvenile ladder snake. However, other experts speculate that it might have been a harmless viperine water snake, which mostly feeds on fish.
“These creatures can end up far from their natural habitats due to their accidental transport with agricultural goods,” said Dr. Steven J. R. Allain, an expert who was interviewed. It’s likely that this guy was simply strolling around the fields when it got into the packing.
Neville feels that the amount of compensation paid is insufficient considering the mental pain and probable threat to his family, especially considering his fear of snakes.
“We are thoroughly investigating how this has happened and are ensuring such incidents are prevented in the future,” an Aldi representative said.
The town is abuzz over the strange incident while Neville pursues a legitimate claim, bringing attention to the uninvited visitors who occasionally return from the grocery shop.
