Enormous 14-foot python slithers round holiday park after ‘escaping owner’ and takes three men to recapture it

A huge snake measuring over four meters long slithered near a holiday park after ‘escaped its owner’ and had to be recaptured by three men.

The Burmese python was spotted prowling an alley near Monkton Wyld Holiday Park in West Dorset on Tuesday.

Measuring 4.5 meters in length, the creature was eventually caught by three men who took four hours to lift it safely into a van.

It was spotted by two guests staying at the holiday park who mistook the giant reptile for a tree branch.

The Burmese python was spotted prowling an alley near Monkton Wyld Holiday Park in West Dorset on Tuesday

It took three men, pictured, about four hours to safely lift the 4.5-metre snake into a van

The huge snake has been nicknamed ‘Bella’ by holiday park staff after two guests alerted them to the creature slithering across the nearby road

The couple alerted holiday park staff, who nicknamed the snake Bella, and they ensured it was captured.

Local resident Peter Bacon also spotted the shocking jungle snake and stopped to take a photo.

Mr Bacon said: “I was driving when I saw this giant snake, something you don’t normally see around here every day.

‘I stopped the van and took a picture to show my wife and put on Facebook in the hope that someone would recognize him.

“There were a lot of people around who apparently reported it to the proper authorities.”

Simon Prentice, owner of a specialist reptile shop in Ilton, Somerset, was contacted after the snake was found and helped him retrieve the animal.

The men worked together to carefully cover the snake and lift it into a large bag

The snake, pictured on what appears to be a grass verge, is captured by the men

The weight of the giant snake pictured is currently unknown and is now managed by reptile shop owner Simon Prentice

Mr Prentice said: ‘I got a call saying there was a huge Burmese python near the holiday park.

‘At first I thought it was a hoax, or someone was exaggerating the size, but it was a 4.5 meter python.

“He weighs a ton, we haven’t officially weighed him, but it took three of us to lift him into the van.”

He said a previous owner had recognized the female python, believed to have been imported from Germany in 2018.

The ex-owner told the reptile shop owner how they sold the snake during lockdown and it is believed it escaped or may have been released.

The National Center for Reptile Welfare said they would like to take the python.

A previous owner recognized the female python (photo), which was probably imported from Germany in 2018

Mr Prentice has now started a JustGiving page to raise money to build an enclosure big enough for the creature, pictured

However, Mr. Prentice has decided to keep it and has now started a JustGiving page to raise money to build an enclosure large enough for the creature.

He said: ‘Significant expenditure is required – we plan to start work on Saturday on a 3m floor to ceiling enclosure with a water feature.

‘We have to buy all the lighting, heating and wooden panels. For now, she will be housed in the largest room we have, which has enough heat to stay comfortable.”

The fundraiser has currently raised £457 of its £2,000 target.