It'sssss cold and hungry out there (From Barry And District News)

It'sssss cold and hungry out there

A PET snake missing in Barry for three days has returned to its relieved owner.

Four-year old Levi-Joshua Phillips of Morgan Street was upset when he woke up on his birthday, Sunday, May 11, to discover his albino king snake missing from his specially-built heated tank.

Despite being distinctive in his white skin marked with yellow stripes, 'Snake', as he is known, was untraceable for three days.

But on Tuesday, May 13, the roving reptile returned to the home he was taken into over a year ago.

He was cold, wet and hungry - but unscathed.

Levi-Joshua's mum, 23-year-old Shani Phillips said: "Snake belongs to us all, especially my two sons Conner-Jay, who is five, and Levi-Joshua.

"But Levi-Joshua really loves him. Every morning, the first thing he does is talk to Snake. And Snake has really taken to Levi-Joshua.

He would ask Snake for a kiss, and Snake would turn his head to face Levi and flick out his tongue over his cheek."

But on Saturday night, the back door of the house was not shut properly, and Snake managed to get out unnoticed.

Shani added: "Levi-Joshua cried every day when Snake was missing.

We've had him for just over a year after I found him on Holton Road.

We put lots of posters up asking if someone had lost a snake, but no-one claimed him.

Now he's more a member of the family than a pet."

Although Snake can live on spiders for a short time, Shani was concerned he would not survive the recent spell of cold weather.

She added: "He needs to be kept warm, so I was really worried about him.

He also needs plenty of water.

When he came home, he was wet and hungry, but otherwise fine.

I'm so pleased, because he's irreplaceable."