PICTURES of a snake have been shared in a garden in Worcester.

Paul Harding shared two images and a video of a snake that he found in his garden to the Worcester News Camera Club.

Mr Harding said that he believed the reptile was a female barred grass snake, that could have been up to a metre long in size.

In the video, the snake can be seen wrapping itself around a fountain and even startling a small frog, which jumps out of its way onto some nearby leaves.

Mr Harding told members: "I'm rather scared of snakes so I gently encouraged it hopefully towards the tree-lined pond beyond our fence."

Fellow camera club member Gill Cutler said: "I think I'd run a mile if I saw one in our bit of a garden."

According to the RSPCA, the UK has three native species of snake. 

These three species are:

  • Adder - widespread but declining across the UK and the only venomous species
  • Grass snake - widespread in England and Wales, including gardens
  • Smooth snake - localised to southern English heaths

Adders have a zig-zag pattern down their back, red eyes and a vertical pupil. They can also grow to around 70cm.

Grass snakes are typically olive green in colour, and have large eyes with rounded pupils. They are typically over a metre long.

They also have a distinct collar behind their heads and are also the only native snake species to lay eggs.

The smooth snake is the least widespread in the UK and is localised in heath habitats to the south of England.

They only grow to around 55cm in length and are a grey/brown colour, with a dark stripe down the side of their face and a heart-shaped pattern on their head.

They also have a pattern of spots and bars along their back.

To submit pictures to the Worcester News Camera Club, visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/137337850196566.