All of the snakes that have been spotted in the North East - including in gardens - have been mapped by experts to try to better understand the creatures.
Typically found in long grassed areas, snakes have for long had the reputation of being mean and deadly creatures.
The UK is home to many harmless snakes, but there is one venomous species that found in the UK - the adder.
We have pieced together all of the snakes, including adders, grass snakes and smooth snakes, and mapped them for the North East and the whole of the UK.
Here - you can see if any of the popular walking routes or nature reserves you use have had sightings of snakes.
Sightings in County Durham
Frosterley, County Durham
Last year, an adder was spotted in Frosterley, which saw a walker see an adder in grassland.
The person who spotted the snake wished to remain anonymous, shared the images with The Northern Echo and expressed their shock at seeing an adder close to the village.
In the close-up images, the snake can be seen rearing its head towards the camera, while another image with the adder curled round on itself can also be seen.
Edmundbuyers
The sighting, which took place at Pow Hill Country Park in Edmundbyers, near Consett, in September 2023, saw a walker see an adder and catch a glimpse of a second one.
The person who spotted it, who wished to remain anonymous, said they were 'shocked' at seeing the snake' and revealed that they had heard about adders in the country park, but had never seen one up until that point.
What snakes are found in UK gardens?
According to the RSPCA, there are only three native snake species in the UK and can typically be found in the wild or in gardens during warmer weather.
Adder
The Adder (Vipera berus) is native to the UK but has been declining across the UK in recent times.
Known as the UK's only venomous snake, it can grow to around 70cm with a distinctive zigzag pattern down their back, red eyes and a vertical pupil.
If an adder were to bite you, it could be very painful but is very rarely fatal, however, you should still seek medical help.
Grass snake
A grass snake (Natrix helvetica) is often found in England and Wales and mostly in gardens.
The grass snake usually has olive green colour skin with large eyes and round pupils and can grow to be over a metre long.
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The UK natives have distinctive collars behind their heads and are also the only native snake species to lay eggs.
The grass snake likes to use compost heaps to lay their eggs which are typically sort and leathery eggs.
Smooth snake
The smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) is the least found snake in the UK but is localised to the south of England and found in heath habitats.
The smallest of the three UK snake species, the Smooth snake only grows to around 55cm in length.
The snake is typically a greyish brown in colour and has a dark stripe down the side of their face, a heart-shaped pattern on their head and a pattern of spots and bars along their back.
What to do if you find a snake in your garden?
The RSPCA shares that if you find a native British snake in your garden you should leave them undisturbed.
You should only contact the RSPCA if the snake is sick or injured.
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