Fifers breathed a huge sigh of relief as police revealed a giant Burmese python had been traced “safe and well.”
The 12-foot snake was reported missing from a property in Leven over the weekend.
It is understood the animal’s owner came forward on Saturday because he had not seen his beloved pet since Friday morning.
After an extensive search, on Sunday police confirmed the snake had been traced still within its keeper’s home.
“It is not clear how such a huge snake managed to go unnoticed for so long,” one bemused police source told The Courier on Sunday.
“It now looks as if it never actually left its owner’s house in the first place.”
Reports that the snake was on the loose had sparked understandable panic on the streets of Leven.
Residents were requested to keep a lookout in gardens and were warned not to approach the animal if seen.
Although not venomous, the sheer size of the snake would have made any encounter with unsuspecting members of the public hugely frightening.
“People were pretty shocked to hear about this,” one woman said.
“It is not at all the kind of thing one expects to come across in Leven and although most of us had a chuckle about it, to be honest it was a bit alarming.
“I think deep down everybody will be very relieved to hear it has been traced.
“The thought of stumbling across a three metre snake in the back garden is certainly not something I would particularly relish.”
The Burmese python, described as a “solitary” animal, is among the largest species of snake and is capable of reaching a length of 23 feet.
They normally feed on birds or small mammals, with rats, mice and other vermin among their favoured prey.
Using their sharp teeth to seize their victims, Burmese pythons then wrap their bodies around the prey, eventually killing it by constriction.
The snakes make particularly popular pets due to their distinctive brown-and-black patterned markings.
When asked by The Courier how heavy the Fife escapee was, police said it had not been put on a weighing machine presumably because it has its own set of scales.
Photo used under Creative Commons licence courtesy of Flickr user Roberto Verzo.