Man who lives in Australia hospitalised after being bitten by venomous snake in Cornwall
A man who lives in Australia has been hospitalised after being bitten by a venomous snake in Cornwall.
Chris Laing was brought up in St Just but now lives in Melbourne. When taking a trip back to the Cornish town, a return walk along a footpath led to the unexpected hospital admission after he got bitten by a snake.
The 37-year-old says his friends and family back in Australia found the news "fascinating and funny", considering that Australia has more than a dozen venomous snakes, as well as killer jellyfish, lethal spiders, crocodiles, sharks and venomous fish.
England's only venomous snake is the Vipera berus, commonly known as the adder. This is the species Chris got bitten by one while out on a stroll.
Chris said: "I was brought up in St Just but moved to Australia after university and snakes are a big thing there. You get taught what to look out for because they can be lethal.
"I took some time off and came back to St Just in July for a holiday and to visit my sister who's had a baby. By chance, an Australian friend of mine was visiting the UK and I suggested she come down to St Just and we could walk a bit of the coastal path."
With a wealth of experience hiking in the outback, as well as around Europe and the UK, the stroll along the South West Coast Path on Thursday was expected to be an easy walk.
But events took an unexpected turn after they walked along the path at Porth Nanven, Cot Valley.
Chris said: "I've done a lot of bush-walking and you learn to watch where you're walking. There was no sign of any snake on the path ahead, but it was narrow.
"Then something just came from the right side of my vision and it felt like a thorn or a bee sting on my ankle. I looked down and there was this three to three-and-a-half foot long snake latched onto me.
"Normally a snake bites and lets go immediately, but I think it had got stuck in my nylon elastic sock and couldn't release - so I probably got quite a good dose of venom.
"I kicked out and the snake was flung up the path. I was in shock. It started to come back towards me so I think maybe it had a nest nearby and was protecting it.
"We tried to call for help on a mobile, but there was no signal. Fortunately, my friend was switched on and immediately took a picture of the snake - which is what you're taught to do in Australia because there are so many different kinds of venomous snake there and it helps the medics know which anti-venom to use."
Chris and his friend headed back along the path to a road where they found a road and were able to hail a lift. However, Chris believes the extra exertion caused more problems by pumping the venom around his body faster.
He said: "I think by not staying still, and by walking all the way to the road, exacerbated the venom. I could feel a tingling from my ankle up the leg to my bum and then it started to go numb. The driver dropped me at St Just and I called 111 and they told me to get to a hospital quickly."
Chris headed to Treliske hospital but arrived at the main entrance rather than the A&E entrance. He collapsed as he reached the department.
He said: "That last walk must've pumped the venom and by the time I got to A&E I just collapsed. I think I was unconscious and I woke up in resus. My blood pressure had dropped that low. The staff took it quite seriously. They were monitoring my heart, connected me to an ECG and I was under 20-minute observations for the first 24 hours. They were very good."
In the end, Chris needed to be given two doses of anti-venom to counter the effects of the bite. He credited staff at the hospital for his recovery, and on day four he was finally discharged.
He now wants to offer people his advice on snake bites, based on his own experience. He says: "Carry a mobile phone, take a photo of the snake if it's safe to do so, seek medical attention as soon as possible."
He said his uncle in Australia had already reminded him of the advice he had previously given him with regards to walking in the 'bush'.
Chris said: "My family back there have found it fascinating and funny. My uncle reminded me of the rules of walking in the bush - the first person walking wakes the snake, the second person disturbs it and the third person gets bitten, so always be in position one or two.
"When I told him what had happened, he replied: 'I forgot to tell you - that rule doesn't apply to English snakes!'"
Here's the NHS advice if you've been bitten by a snake.
Do
Stay calm – most snake bites in the UK are not serious and can be treated
Keep the part of your body that was bitten as still as you can
Lie in the recovery position if you can
Take paracetamol for any pain
Try to remember the colour and pattern of the snake to tell the doctor
Take off any jewellery and loosen clothes near the bite, in case the skin swells
Don’t
Do not go near the snake, or try to catch or kill it
Do not try to suck or cut the poison (venom) out of the bite
Do not tie anything tightly round the part of the body where the bite is
Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, as they can make bleeding worse
What happens at the hospital
You'll usually need to stay in hospital for at least 24 hours if you've been bitten by a snake. The bite will be cleaned and bandaged. You may be given an injection to help protect you from tetanus.If you were bitten by a poisonous (venomous) snake you'll be treated with a medicine to fight the venom. This is given through a thin tube into a vein, called a drip.
Types of UK snake
Only three types of snake are found in the wild in the UK. The adder is the only poisonous snake, but you should get all snake bites checked as soon as possible. Telling the doctors the colour and pattern of the snake that bit you could help them treat it.
Adders are grey or reddish-brown, with a dark zig-zag shaped stripe down their back.
Grass snakes are usually green, with dark spots down their sides, and yellow and black bands around their neck.
Smooth snakes are usually grey or brown with a dark pattern. The patterns down their backs are lighter and less zig-zag shaped than on adders.