EVENING NEWS (Edinburgh, UK) 17 April 06 Wide-scream TV as snake scares family
A family fled in panic after unwrapping their new TV set - only to be confronted with a snake slithering out of the box.
The elderly couple's three-year-old grandson spotted the snake first and raised the alarm by screaming.
The piercing screams frightened the snake, which started to recoil before flashing its fangs.
Fearing it was about to strike out, the family, who do not want to be named, barricaded themselves in another room while they called the Scottish SPCA for help.
When SSPCA experts arrived at the house in Sighthill, they discovered it was an Australian Children's Python.
Doreen Graham, SSPCA spokeswoman, said: "They ordered the television online and as they were unpacking the box, a groggy snake appeared. The grandchild was the first to see it and started screaming.
"The snake would probably have been a bit dopey due to the heat in the room but the reaction of the child startled the python so it reared and showed its fangs.
"This terrified the family, so they ran out of the room and called us to ask us to remove it."
The snake is now safely contained at the SSPCA site and has been identified as a non- venomous Children's Python.
Wide-scream TV as snake scares family