Two policemen found themselves in the midst of a delicate operation on Monday when they removed a red belly black snake from Maitland CBD.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Maitland Highway Patrol Senior Constable Steve Avery, a qualified snake catcher, and his colleague Senior Constable Brian Taylor, worked together to rescue the snake after it tried to slither through the front door of Maitland police station.
Senior Constable Avery took the snake hook while Senior Constable Taylor wore a glove and held the bag.
The snake had curled up in the park alongside the station after its attempt to go into the station failed.
When the pair, and a small group of police turned up the snake tried to escape.
It fled across the park and crossed Church Street, stopping traffic in its path.
It then headed toward High Street where the pair cornered it alongside the old Dick Smith building.
Central Hunter acting Inspector David Bender said police became aware of the snake after someone reported that it was outside the station.
“Senior Constable Avery was in the area and came out to catch it,” he said.
Maitland councillor Brian Burke, who watched the incident unfold, said the snake did not want to cooperate and tried to move towards his coffee shop before it finally slithered into the bag.
He said motorists stopped to watch and traffic was queued back to Ken Tubman Drive.
“The people who couldn’t see it probably thought it was an accident,” Cr Burke said.
“It caught people’s attention, they were curious to see it.
“You don’t see a red belly black snake moving across Church Street very often.
“It was probably trying to get to the drain on High Street so it could get away.”