5ft python on the loose in Parkeston after daring escape

During their morning check on the snake at their home in Tyler Street, Dayna and Phil Hemingway were horrified to see its vivarium was empty.

Now they believe Shylo, the five-foot yellow belly bull python, could have escaped out of an open window.

If she did, the pair say the snake could be “anywhere”.

Mr Hemingway said: “It’s very stressful, we’ve had her for two years and she’s never done anything like this.

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“Now she’s done a disappearing act and we can’t find her anywhere – it’s really concerning.

“We’ve pulled the house to pieces, moved all the furniture, searched it top to bottom but we’ve had no luck at all.

Archie Hemingway has been left "distraught" by Shylo's disappearance

“She’s turned into a Houdini overnight.

“The top window was open but it’s quite a stretch for her to get up there, I can’t imagine she did but if she did and was successful then she could be anywhere right now.

“In our heads if she went upwards out of her enclosure rather than downwards then she could’ve got out of the house. It’s unlikely but you have to cover this possibility.

“We are very concerned, we live in an old house and there are several places we think she may have crawled into but we can’t get there.”

Shylo is five-foot long

The family have now warned people to check boxes and their garden sheds in the area as the two-year-old snake likes to reside in dark, warm places.

They explained how their eight-year-old son Archie has been left “distraught” by the event.

“We are all truly gutted and Archie is really upset about it. She’s a beautiful looking snake and so friendly, she’s like the fluffy bunny of the snake world really,” Mr Hemingway added.

“I was dead against getting her and now I probably love her more than the others, I have her round my shoulders every evening and she loves being tickled under her chin. I’m truly gutted, we all are.

“Because it’s summer and it’s warm she stands half a chance of surviving, but if the temperature drops then she hasn’t really got any hope.

“I’ll be ecstatic if we can bring her home safely.”