Imagine going to your local supermarket, purchasing your usual groceries, and coming back home with an unexpected guest hidden among your vegetables. This shocking experience happened to 63-year-old Neville Linton from Stourbridge, England.
Neville was simply doing his grocery shopping last month when he picked up a bag of broccoli from Aldi. Little did he know that inside this seemingly ordinary purchase lay a rather unsettling surprise, which he only discovered three days later when he decided to prepare a meal.
Having taken the broccoli out from the fridge, Neville was startled to uncover a stowaway that had made the journey from field to fridge in his home. Continue reading to discover how Neville responded to this unusual encounter, and hear insights from Dr. Steven J R Allain, the pop-punk Herpetologist.
An Unexpected Traveler from a Broccoli Field to a British Supermarket
A snake that was originally exploring a broccoli field somewhere in southwestern Europe got unwittingly packed and shipped to England. In a twist of fate, Neville was the unsuspecting customer who bought the infested bag from the store.
Neville’s Startling Discovery
Neville, who works in industrial cleaning, was taken aback by the sight of the snake. “It was pretty frightening. I’m not good with snakes,” Neville exclaimed. “It’s fortunate I didn’t just leave the broccoli out in the kitchen, or it would have been loose in the house.” Such an event might have been risky, especially because he shares his home with two vulnerable individuals.
Upon realizing it was more than just an innocent garden creature, Neville called in his sister Ann-Marie Tenkanemin to assist in identifying the snake. Once the snake was placed securely in a tub, they hurried back to the Aldi store on Dudley Road.
“At first, I thought my sister was joking,” Neville recounted. “But when I saw the snake move, I quickly backed off. Even the storekeeper was scared.”
Determining the Identity of the Snake
The snake was soon taken to Dudley Zoo, where the initial identification pegged it as a young ladder snake. However, Dr. Steven J R Allain provided an alternative professional opinion, suggesting it might actually be a viperine water snake.
Dr. Allain, a current Ph.D. student at the University of Kent, remarked, “Upon reviewing the photo of the snake entwined in the broccoli, I believe it’s a viperine water snake (Natrix maura), harmless and typically native to southwestern Europe and northern Africa.”
As a zoology enthusiast, Allain is passionate about snakes and amphibian ecology, expressing that it’s not surprising for such creatures to appear in produce imported from the Mediterranean.
“The snake likely found its way into the field during harvesting,” Allain speculated, “before ending up in Neville’s fridge, where it was kept cold enough to slow its metabolism, enabling it to survive without food for some time.”
Despite the shocking discovery, Dr. Allain assured that viperine water snakes pose no threat to humans. “They are known to play dead rather than attack,” he explained, “and are regarded as non-venomous to humans.”
“Neville’s reaction, influenced by fear, showcases the importance of educating the public about these primarily harmless creatures,” suggested Dr. Allain, “Hopefully, its new placement at Dudley Zoo will help debunk common fears associated with snakes.”
Neville Seeks Further Compensation
Neville, a father-of-three, has initiated talks with Aldi concerning compensation. He feels the amount offered doesn’t reflect the inconvenience and risk posed to his disabled son and vulnerable mother-in-law.
“It’s just not good enough,” he stated firmly, “If the snake had escaped into our home, it could have caused significant distress, considering my phobia of snakes.”
Aldi addressed the situation, “Our supplier adheres to strict quality control albeit this isolated incident. We apologize to Mr. Linton for not meeting our usual high standards and are investigating the matter further.”
A Community Reacts
News of Neville’s startling encounter quickly spread, with locals expressing a mix of sympathy and disbelief. Some found the event humorous, while others voiced their concerns over food safety.
