POLICE are anxious to trace the address of their latest slippery suspect - a red snake which is in their custody.
The reptile, thought to be either a rat snake or a corn snake, turned up at a house in Hemlington, Middlesbrough, whose owner was startled to find it coiled around a curtain pole.
Inquiries among the neighbours to discover the creature's owner drew a blank, and where it came from remains a mystery.
The snake is now in the hands of Middlesbrough wildlife officer, PC Martin Cowan, and is said to be thriving.
PC Cowan believes it is an unwanted pet that was dumped, as it is obviously young and has not had to fend for itself in the wild.
The snake, which can survive comfortably in our environment and reach 5ft in length, is not the first to have been rescued by Cleveland police. They take in between four and six a year.
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