BERNARD Plimley had the fright of his life when he went to look at troublesome ants in his back garden -- and found a snake instead.

Bernard, aged 62, who is scared of snakes, called the council to remove it and the creature now has a temporary home at the Bolton Aquarium.

But staff at the aquarium in Le Mans Crescent say they have too many snakes and want to return it to its original owner.

Mr Plimley, of Bankfield Street, Deane, had been having a problem with ants in his back garden and, after spraying with pesticides, went to see if they had disappeared.

The retired taxi driver and milkman said: "I saw something and thought: 'That looks funny'. I thought it was just a stick at first because it was motionless but then I said to myself: 'It's a flaming snake'."

Mr Plimley said there was no way he was going to catch it and contacted the council.

Council officials called aquarium staff and assistant technician Pete Liptrot went out to collect the snake.

Mr Liptrot said: "It tried to bite me a couple of times when I went to catch it, but it is relatively harmless and a bite would hurt no more than being bitten by a mouse."

Mr Liptrot, aged 31, who has worked at the aquarium for eight years, said they did not want the snake because they have similar species on show.

He is eager to find the snake's owners and send it back home.

The reptile is believed to be an American fox snake, similar to a rat snake, and is about 18 months old. It is yellow with black diamond markings and 2ft long. It could grow to six feet.

A similar species went missing from Northfield Street, near Mr Plimley's home, in August 1999 and was never found, but Mr Liptrot does not think it is the same one because of the discrepancy in age.

If the snake is your pet, please give Mr Liptrot a call at the aquarium on 01204 332200.