Supermarket snake slithers back to owner

A PET snake has been reunited with its owner after being found in a supermarket.

George, a foot-long corn snake, was found five months after he slithered away from his Highland home. He was coiled around a heating pipe of a Spar shop below his owner's flat in Mallaig, Inverness-shire, when he was discovered on Saturday by a shopworker.

It is thought George escaped from his tank and slid down to the ground floor, where he took up residence among the central heating pipes. His owner, Rosemary Leckie, said she had given up hope on seeing her pet alive. He was just two months old when he vanished and had not been able to eat during his stay in the pipes.

She said: "We're delighted to have George back with us. My son keeps him in his room and he managed to escape through a tiny wee gap in the lid of his tank.

"Apparently corn snakes are good escape artists, so we'll be keeping a close eye on him now."