Baby snake 'dusted off' after turning up in Yorkshire factory covered in lead powder

The RSPCA were called to the factory in North Ferriby, East Yorkshire, on Monday who “dusted off” the lead powder and released the small serpent back into the wild.

The six-inch long grass snake was spotted by startled workers who saw the bright orange snake slither across the production line floor.

RSPCA inspector Lucy Green, who is one of the charity’s specialist exotics officers, said the snake was so orange it “looked like it had been in a bag of Cheetos”.

She said: “It was quite a difficult task to dust the snake off but they managed it and I was able to collect the snake on Tuesday for release back into the wild.”

Lucy attended the scene and took the snake to a specialist vet where they cleaned the powder off and checked the snake over.

The UK’s largest snake, adult grass snakes can grow to more than a metre in length but are harmless.

They can often be found in wetland habitats but are also found in dry grasslands or gardens especially where there is a pond nearby.

They can be seen between April and October, when they’re not hibernating, and in the summer they are most often spotted basking in the sun or swimming.

They can live for as long as 25 years.

Lucy added: “This is the tiniest one I’ve seen. I’m very happy to have been able to get it back where it belongs.”