RSPCA issue update on huge snake found on Leeds train as staff praised after 'alarming' discovery

The harmless bright orange snake was found on a Northern service travelling between Shipley and Leeds on Saturday, with some reports saying the reptile had been spotted in a bin onboard. The five-foot (1.5 metres) reptile was removed from the train at Leeds station and placed in a ventilated cardboard box by staff, before being collected by RSPCA animal rescue officer Katie Hetherington.

Now named ‘Noodles’ the snake is doing well in the care of experts at Reptilia in Ossett, West Yorkshire, and will be rehomed if no owner comes forward. It’s not known how Noodles came to be on the train, although the reptile was slightly underweight which could suggest the animal may have been out of its regular enclosure for some time.

Katie said: “The staff at the station were fantastic and had placed Noodles in a large cardboard box and they’d even put the heating on! Obviously coming face-to-face with a bright orange snake on a train would be an alarming sight for many people, but corn snakes like this one are completely harmless.

“We’re not really sure how and why the snake ended up on the train. It might have been abandoned or somehow escaped from captivity and slithered on board of its own accord, it really is a little bit of a mystery. As ever, our thanks go to the staff at Reptilia who will now make sure that this reptile receives the appropriate care and a new home if no owner comes forward.”

A photo of the snake was widely shared on Twitter across the weekend as passengers were left in disbelief. Hundreds responded to the tweet with one user suggesting “I would lock myself in the toilet” while others saw the funny side with one user commenting “Looks like he’s getting off at the next stop”.

Last month the RSPCA advised snake owners to be extra-vigilant as snakes become more active during hot weather. Last year the charity received 1,031 reports involving snakes in need of help, with numbers of calls averaging highs of 110 calls a month between May and August.