A family were left terrified after finding an unexpected guest - a deadly black mamba snake - hiding under their Christmas tree.
They watched on in horror as the six-and-a-half feet reptile, whose bite can be fatal, slithered around in the tree before retreating behind a speaker.
The family from Queensburgh, South Africa, called in the assistance of snake catcher Nick Evans, reported the Daily Star.
Nick took to Facebook to share an image of the black mamba and tell his followers about the family's horrifying experience.
"Santa left me an early Christmas present, although not at my house, no, under someone else's Christmas tree," he joked.
"I picked it up from where it was hiding, with the tongs, lifted it over the wires and things that could get knocked over, put it on the lounge floor and pinned it down.
"The family were rather shocked as you can imagine.
"It's one of the more amusing places I've found a mamba."
The snake had been outside but made its way into the home and hid by the tree after being seen by a gardener.
Nick said: "Well, actually, the snake was outside when it was disturbed by the gardener. It then moved away from him, out of fear, saw the open door, and ducked inside."
Reacting to the family's ordeal, one person said in the comments: "Christmas would be cancelled for me and my family. Will move out immediately."
Another said: "I'm not putting up a tree now!"
A third wrote: "Christmas in Africa can get a little sketchy with the wildlife wanting to celebrate too."
While a fourth said: "Hope Santa doesn’t hear about this. He’ll never come down a chimney again!!"
The black mamba is the world's second-longest venomous snake behind the King Cobra and can grow to be nearly 10ft-long.
The snakes are native to Africa and can be found often in woodlands, while their bite can release a neurotoxin that will kill a human in 20 minutes.
Despite being one of the deadliest snakes on the planet, the black mamba will only attack humans if threatened or cornered.
