Hissing under the Xmas tree! Family find one of the world's most venomous snakes among the baubles
- The Wild family, originally from Hertfordshire, live in Cape Town, South Africa
- They were admiring their Christmas tree when they saw a snake in the branches
- The boomslang, one of the world's most poisonous snakes, was hiding in the tree
A British family got an unwelcome festive surprise when a deadly venomous snake emerged from their Christmas tree - after they had finished decorating it.
Rob and Marcela Wild, originally from Hertfordshire but now living in Cape Town, South Africa, had just finishing putting lights and baubles on their tree with children Edward, 11, and Sahara, six, when they noticed the snake emerge from the branches.
It is thought the reptile - identified later as a female boomslang snake, the country's deadliest - had been hiding in the tree all along and then emerged when the decorating was done.
Rob, 55, from Borehamwood, Herts, said: 'We'd just decorated the tree up and the kids were putting the presents beneath it before turning the lights on.
Rob and Marcela Wild had just finished decorating their Christmas tree with children Edward, 11, and Sahara, six, when they noticed a deadly venomous snake hiding in it
It is thought the snake - later identified as a female boomslang, South Africa's deadliest - had been hiding in the tree the entire time the family had been decorating it
'We were admiring our work when my wife Marcela pointed to our two cats and said she thought there might be a mouse in the tree as they were staring at it.
'They often bring 'gifts' in from the farm we live on so Marcela went to have a look and moved a bauble and saw a snake's head staring straight back at her.
'She shrieked and shouted 'snake'.
'It was a very long two hours until the snake catcher got here and it was like the cavalry turning up but once he hooked it out with his tongs we could breathe again.'.
Stock market trader Rob moved to South Africa 15 years ago with wife Marcela and they have a son Edward, 11, and a daughter Sahara, 6.
From his home in McGregor, 100 miles from Cape Town, he said 'I was wishing for a lot of things to be under the tree for Christmas Day but not a four-foot long poisonous snake.'
Share this article
The family sent photos of the snake to a local catcher who thought they were pranking him at first, before realising the pictures were real
Snake catcher Gerrie Heyns said the snake was aggressive but he eventually managed to grab hold of it after it slithered out of the tree and take it away
Snake catcher Gerrie Heyns, 49, was sent photos of the snake's head poking out the tree with a circle round its head by Rob but dismissed them as a prank.
Gerrie said: 'I thought it was one of my fellow snake catchers trying to catch me out and closed down the photos after laughing they won't be fooling me.
'Then my mobile rang and it was Rob who sent the photos and promised me they really did have a boomslang in their Christmas tree and it was no joke.
'I drove over to theirs telling them not to take their eyes off it in case it slithered away from the Christmas tree and found itself a hiding place in their home.
'It wasn't an easy catch as it was very nippy and it kept going up and down and round and round the tree and I was trying not to upset the decorations or lights.
'They will not attack unless they feel extremely threatened and only to defend themselves and I suspect this one slithered inside the home to get shade.
'Finding a tree inside was a bonus but sadly it was the family Christmas tree!'
The Wild family with Dad Rob, 55, mum Marcela, 35, and son Edward, 11, and daughter Sarah, 7, with family pet dog Darcy
Most watched News videos
- Shocking moment school volunteer upskirts a woman at Target
- Prince Harry makes surprise video appearance from his Montecito home
- Prince William resumes official duties after Kate's cancer diagnosis
- Shocking video shows bully beating disabled girl in wheelchair
- 'Incredibly difficult' for Sturgeon after husband formally charged
- Rishi on moral mission to combat 'unsustainable' sick note culture
- Shocking scenes in Dubai as British resident shows torrential rain
- Boris Johnson questions the UK's stance on Canadian beef trade
- Met Police say Jewish faith is factor in protest crossing restriction
- Jewish campaigner gets told to leave Pro-Palestinian march in London
- Sweet moment Wills handed get well soon cards for Kate and Charles
- Mel Stride: Sick note culture 'not good for economy'
