Cheryl Lowrey, who found a corn snake in a tortilla wrap

by Rebecca Hughes

Mum Cheryl Lowrey got the shock of her life when she decided to get herself a lunchtime snack - and found a snake asleep on a tortilla wrap.

Cheryl, 35, felt something unusual inside the packet when she picked it up from her kitchen cupboard.

Wondering what it was she took a look inside and shrieked when she saw the orange corn snake curled up on the half-eaten wrap.

She screamed and dropped the packet before running out of the kitchen in a state of shock.

Her son Kyle came running down the stairs thinking his mum had been attacked or had burned herself to find her shaken at the sight of the creature.

She said: "I just could not believe what I was seeing. You just don't expect to find a snake in your cupboard and I have big fear of them. I wanted to run away."

The family then phoned the RSPCA who came out and caught the snake.

Cheryl said: "The woman from the RSPCA said it was probably a neighbour's snake and that they travel through houses using cavities and pipes in the walls.

"She said it was quite common."

Cheryl later found out it belonged to a neighbour who lived two doors down from her in Leopold Road, Chatham.

The year-and-a-half-old snake, named Sid, was then reunited with its owner Sarah Dawson (pictured left) who apologised to Cheryl for the shock and gave her a box of chocolates.

Sarah, 40, said: "When he was put back in the cage I don't think the lid was shut properly and they are very good at escaping.

"I just thought he would be somewhere in the house and that he would come out when he got hungry.

"I never imagined he'd be in a neighbour's house."

Cheryl said: "I want to warn people to tell their neighbours if their snakes or any creepy-crawlies get out.

"What if it was a python or a tarantula? I didn't even know my neighbour had a snake."