Dog walkers told the Mercury how a woman sat terrified in her car as a snake – a protected species – wrapped itself around the front wheel of her vehicle.

After the reptile wriggled free, a man was seen to smash it on the head with a stick, killing it.

The dead snake was left hanging on a fence.

“I was with my dog around 3pm on Thursday when I saw a brown snake at a place where cars are parked on the river bank,” Steve Coffey, from Kurri Kurri, said.

“I saw it rearing up near a woman who ran off screaming.

“She jumped into her car, but the snake wrapped itself around a wheel for a few seconds before dropping away.

“I was in my car and I was worried about the safety of kids and dogs in the area.

“Then I saw a man run up with a stick. He hit the snake on the head a few times and he killed it.

“I was going to speak to the man, but everything was so hectic that he disappeared before I could approach him.”

But Judith Martin of Reptile Rescue Rutherford warned that killing protected eastern brown snakes – and all other types of snakes – could see a plague of rats and mice infesting homes along the river banks.

“If all the brown snakes were killed off, we could see taipans taking their place,” Ms Martin said.

“Homes would be overrun with rodents that would live in roofs and eat away at electrical circuits, causing fires.

“The sensible thing is for people in the area to be ­careful.

“If they stay away from snakes when they see them, nobody will be bitten.

“Snakes are out and about at this time of year because it is the breeding season until the end of November.

“If people see snakes, they should call us on 0429 325 905 or ring the police.”