Police officers rescue 12-foot python slithering down West Bromwich street

A team of three officers carefully handled the python and placed it into a police van Credit: WMP

A 12-foot python was spotted slithering down a street, prompting police officers to come to the rescue.

A member of the public alerted West Midlands Police officers to the unusual sight on Harwood Street in West Bromwich at 1:30am on Tuesday 5 September.

Whilst the RSPCA would typically respond to calls of this nature, it was too late to alert a team - so the police stepped in instead.

At least three officers carefully handled the yellow snake, placing it into a van before transferring it to a nearby veterinary hospital to be looked after.

In a statement, West Midlands Police said: "While RSPCA colleagues would usually handle this situation they were not able to attend due to the time of the call so some of our brave response officers stepped in."

Want a quick, expert briefing on the biggest stories of the day? Listen to What You Need To Know...