A man from Stourbridge, England, got the surprise of his life when he discovered a snake hiding in a bag of broccoli he purchased from a local Aldi branch. Neville Linton, a 63-year-old industrial cleaner, had stored the bag of vegetables in his fridge for three days before uncovering the unexpected guest.
“It was pretty frightening. I’m not good with snakes,” Neville confessed. “It’s lucky I didn’t just leave the broccoli out in the kitchen, or it would have been loose in the house. That would have been a huge risk for us because we have two vulnerable people living here.”
Initially mistaking the snake for a caterpillar, Neville sought help from his sister, Ann-Marie Tenkanemin. She quickly identified the creature as a snake, and the pair safely contained it in a tub. They promptly returned to the Aldi store on Dudley Road to inform them of the shocking discovery.
“I thought she was joking at first, but I backed off when I saw it start moving. The guy in the shop was pretty frightened too,” Neville recounted.
The snake was subsequently transported to a local zoo, where experts initially identified it as a young ladder snake. However, herpetologist Dr. Steven J R Allain, also known as The pop-punk Herpetologist, disagrees with this assessment. After reviewing the photo of the snake found in the broccoli, Dr. Allain believes it to be a viperine water snake (Natrix maura), a harmless fish-eating species commonly found in southwestern Europe and northern Africa.
Dr. Allain explained that the presence of a snake from the Mediterranean region in vegetables imported to the United Kingdom is not surprising. He theorized that the snake was likely moving through a field when it was unintentionally scooped up by agricultural equipment and found refuge within the broccoli.
While the snake endured a lengthy journey, Dr. Allain clarified that these species can survive for months without food, and the refrigeration in Neville’s home would have kept its metabolism low. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the snake’s transition from the warm Mediterranean climate to the chilly environment of the fridge would not have been comfortable.
“It’s important to note that viperine water snakes are harmless to humans,” Dr. Allain emphasized. “They do not bite humans as a defense mechanism and are considered non-venomous. I understand this was a distressing experience for Neville, especially considering his fear of snakes. However, a more positive reaction through education and understanding could have helped in dealing with this situation. The snake is not to blame for ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Despite receiving compensation from Aldi, Neville is pushing for more due to the potential risks posed to his disabled son and vulnerable mother-in-law, who reside in the same household. He expressed dissatisfaction with the amount offered, stating, “It’s just not good enough. The implications for us if it had gotten out in the house are huge. Plus, I’m phobic of snakes, so there’s the emotional impact of that too.”
A spokesperson from Aldi responded to the incident, stating that their supplier had never received a complaint of this nature and assured that they have robust processes in place to prevent such occurrences. They acknowledged the isolated incident and apologized to Mr. Linton for not meeting their usual high standards. The supermarket chain is currently investigating the matter further.
After the local news picked up the story, people had all sorts of reactions
Leave a Reply