BELFAST TELEGRAPH (N Ireland) 03 December 08 Paul O'Grady recovering after snake attack

Paul O'Grady has recovered after being attacked by a 2ft adder, his spokeswoman said today.

The snake bit O'Grady's arm after slithering out of some firewood in O'Grady's home in the Ashford area of Kent.

The 53-year-old did not realise what had happened until he saw blood pouring out of his arm.

The Channel 4 chat show host drove the snake out with a broom.

He phoned a hospital after the incident on Sunday and monitored the swelling.

O'Grady told the Daily Mirror: "I didn't realise I was bitten at first but I looked at my right arm and there was blood gushing down from it.

"I saw two puncture marks and I realised I had been bitten - and it must have been a snake.

"It really started to hurt and then I saw a snake on the logs."

His spokeswoman said: "He's absolutely fine. He was able to do the show."

She said he was shaken by the incident but was able to see the funny side.

According to the Forestry Commission, the adder is the only poisonous snake native to Britain.

Adders have the most highly developed poison-injecting mechanism of all snakes, but they are not normally seen as aggressive.

They will only use their poison as a last means of defence, the Commission said, usually if caught or trodden on.

No one has died from an adder bite in Britain for more than 20 years.

The worst effects are nausea and drowsiness, followed by severe swelling and bruising in the area of the bite.

Most people who are bitten were handling the snake and the Commission advises people to treat adders with respect and leave them alone.
Paul O'Grady recovering after snake attack

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• GBR Press: Recovering after snake attack - W von Papineäu, Sat Dec 13 16:05:47 2008