Residents in an Ipswich home were given a fright after a slippery intruder made its way through their door.

A grass snake had made its way inside their home on Sunday afternoon via an insecure door.

Sgt Brian Calver said: “He was a wild grass snake and he had managed to get himself into the dining room of a house in Old Norwich Road and behind an old gas fire. He must have come from the fields nearby.

“I have never seen one of these snakes get into a spot like this before. I know they’re cold-blooded and they like the heat but there’s more than enough heat out there, he may have been looking for a cooler space or some water if it was dehydrated.

“After some poking in the space behind the fire he came out and I was able to grab him and return him to the outdoors.

“Grass snakes have a defence mechanism where they spray a milky liquid at you and it absolutely stinks though, it ended up on my hands and some landed on their carpet, so they might have to live with that smell for a few days.”

In a tweet, an officer from the Rural and Wildlife Policing Team said: “Intruders come in many forms.

“This slippery chap was detained in an Ipswich home tonight, having let himself in via an insecure door.

“He did resist and was a bit ‘hissed off’ but he’s happier now he’s safely back where he should be. Be mindful of home security in the heat!”

The RSPCA collects more snakes over the summer months, and it is possible that some of these are escapees becoming more active in warmer weather.