A man who went to a supermarket for some groceries came back with an unexpected companion—a snake. Neville Linton, a 63-year-old from Stourbridge, England, made this startling discovery after buying a bag of broccoli from an Aldi branch last month. Unaware of his reptilian stowaway, he stored the broccoli in his fridge, only to uncover the surprise three days later when he began preparing a meal.
To his shock, as he unwrapped the broccoli, Neville found a snake nestled among the florets. The snake, which had apparently been exploring a broccoli field in southwestern Europe, had been inadvertently packed and shipped to the British supermarket.
Continue scrolling to find out how the ordeal unfolded, and don’t miss our discussion with Dr. Steven J. R. Allain, also known as The Pop-Punk Herpetologist, for his insights on the matter.
WITHOUT SUSPECTING, NEVILLE LINTON, 63, PICKED IT UP TOGETHER WITH A BAG OF VEGETABLES AND TOOK THE REPTILE HOME
Neville Linton, who works in industrial cleaning, couldn’t believe his eyes when he unwrapped the broccoli. “It was pretty frightening. I’m not good with snakes,” he said. “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.”
Realizing that the creature was far too large to be a caterpillar, Neville called his sister, Ann-Marie Tenkanen, for help. She quickly identified it as a snake. Together, they carefully placed the snake in a tub and returned to the Aldi store on Dudley Road where Neville had made the purchase.
“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 TAKEN TO A LOCAL ZOO AND ITS SPECIALISTS DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A YOUNG LADDER SNAKE
BUT HERPETOLOGIST DR. STEVEN J R ALLAIN SUSPECTS IT MIGHT BE A VIPERINE WATER SNAKE
The reptile found its temporary home at Dudley Zoo, where the staff initially identified it as a young ladder snake. However, when Bored Panda reached out to Dr. Steven J R Allain for his expert opinion, he offered a different perspective.
“Having reviewed the actual photo of the snake in the broccoli, I am not sure the zoo identified the species correctly,” Allain stated. “To my expert eyes, the snake is in fact a viperine water snake (Natrix maura), which is a harmless fish-eating species found throughout southwestern Europe and northern Africa.”
Allain, a zoology graduate from Anglia Ruskin University and a current Ph.D. student at the University of Kent, specializes in reptile population ecology. He explained, “Seeing as a large portion of the food grown and imported into the United Kingdom comes from the Mediterranean region, it is no surprise to find a species from this area turning up in some vegetables likely grown there. In my opinion, the snake was likely moving through the field at the time, before being scooped up by agricultural equipment, then seeking refuge within the broccoli.”
His insights shed light on the unexpected journey of the snake and highlight the interconnectedness of ecosystems even across vast distances.
The journey from the Mediterranean to the UK and then to Neville’s home was undoubtedly a lengthy one for the snake. Dr. Allain explained that viperine water snakes are resilient creatures capable of enduring periods without food, aided by the cold environment of the fridge, which would have slowed down its metabolism and reduced its energy needs.
“However, I can’t imagine it would have been comfortable,” he added. “Especially the rapid transition from the warm Mediterranean climate to a chiller, in order to keep the broccoli fresh.”
Despite their intimidating name, viperine water snakes pose no threat to humans. “Viperine water snakes are dangerous only if you’re a fish (or a frog),” Allain clarified. “They do not bite humans as a defense mechanism (they’d much rather play dead), and they are regarded as non-venomous to humans.”
Reflecting on Neville’s understandably distressing experience, Allain suggested that a more positive reaction could have stemmed from greater education and understanding about snakes and how to handle such situations. “It isn’t the snake’s fault that it ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he noted. “But hopefully, its new home at Dudley Zoo can help with breaking down these fears of snakes.”
NEVILLE IS TRYING TO GET COMPENSATED FOR HAVING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS
Neville, a father-of-three, has been offered compensation for the unsettling ordeal but is seeking further reparation. The amount offered, he feels, doesn’t adequately account for the risk posed to his disabled son and vulnerable mother-in-law, who reside in the same household.
“It’s just not good enough,” Neville expressed. “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.”
In response to the incident, an Aldi spokesperson stated, “Our supplier has never had a complaint of this nature and has robust processes in place to prevent such issues occurring. We are investigating this isolated incident and have apologized to Mr. Linton that our usual high standards were not met.”
As Neville continues to seek appropriate recourse, the episode serves as a reminder of the importance of stringent quality control measures, particularly when it comes to ensuring consumer safety and peace of mind.
AFTER THE LOCAL NEWS PICKED UP THE STORY, PEOPLE HAD ALL SORTS OF REACTIONS
