A HORRIFIED woman walked into her living room yesterday to find a 5ft python slithering across the floor.

She ran to a neighbour's house in Saltaire Terrace, Greatham, Hartlepool, where she called the police.

It is thought that the snake belonged to the former owners of the house who had mentioned losing one of their pets when they sold up last year. The python had apparently been lying low for 12 months until encouraged to come out of hiding by the recent sunshine.

A police spokeswoman said: "The woman rang and said there was a large, brown and black snake in her house and it was quite lively.

"It could be that the snake has been under the floorboards since the last owners moved out and the warm weather has enticed it out."

Pythons are not poisonous, but kill their prey by crushing.

RSPCA officers managed to catch the snake and took it away for a check-up at their Great Ayton animal centre.

It was then moved to a reptile specialist in Newcastle who will try to ensure it does not make any more unwanted house calls.