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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Sarah Ping & Liam Buckler

Venomous 3ft-long snake spotted slithering along UK beach as sightings lead to warning

A huge 3ft-long venomous snake has been spotted on a British beach.

The UK's only poisonous snake was seen slithering along by walker Debbie Lee at Middle Beach, Studland, in Dorset.

After deciding to take a leisurely stroll along the beach, Debbie said she suddenly came across the camouflaged viper, DorsetLive reported.

She said: "We were walking down the path towards the beach and my partner noticed something move in front of us.

"The adder was already in the middle of the path. I approached it slowly and started taking some random snaps as it was very sunny and I wasn’t sure if I had caught it on camera.

"The snake then disappeared into the bushes. Luckily, when we got home and looked back at the pics we had quite a clear photo. It was about 3ft long!"

Adders normally hibernate underground from October to March to avoid the cold winters, but now that the weather has become warmer they can be seen throughout the year.

As the adder is native to the UK, it is not unusual to see the reptile at this time but it has prompted a stark reminder from the NHS on what to do if you are bitten by the venomous snake.

The NHS has reminded people they will need to be treated in hospital if they are bitten by the snake after the UK's only venomous snake was spotted at several places across the South West.

With increasingly hot weather predicted, dog walkers are being advised to remain vigilant, and it is worth noting the beaches to avoid as many are banned to dogs during the summer.

A dog in Cornwall had a lucky escape after being bitten by the viper, but the reptiles are often camouflaged within its surroundings can be difficult to spot.

The sighting has since sparked a reminder from the NHS that you do need to be treated in hospital if bitten (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

According to the UK Wildlife Trusts, adders are greyish in colour, with a dark and very distinct zig-zag pattern down their backs and a red eye. Males tend to be more silvery-grey, while females are lighter or reddish-brown. Black, or melanistic, have also been spotted.

Where do adders live?

The adder is a relatively small, stocky snake that prefers woodland, heathland and moorland habitats. It hunts lizards, small mammals, as well as birds that nest on the ground, such as skylarks and meadow pipits.

Adders will begin mating season in the spring where male adders will perform a "dance" and duel to fend off competition. Females incubate the eggs internally, "giving birth" to between three and twenty live young.

Adders hibernate from October, emerging in the first warm days of March, which is the easiest time of year to find them basking on a log or under a warm rock.

What to do if you're bitten by an adder

Although most snakes bites in the UK are not serious, it is always important to get them checked out. Advice from the NHS says: "Most snake bites in the UK are not serious. But it's important to get all snake bites checked as soon as possible."

If you are bitten by an adder, you will typically need to stay in the hospital for 24 hours where your bite will be cleaned and bandaged. An injection may be administered to protect you from tetanus.

The NHS also explains if bitten by a venomous snake, at the hospital "you will be treated with a medicine to fight the venom. This is given through a thin tube into a vein, called a drip."

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