After realising their pet boa constrictor had escaped, an Epsom family were very relieved when firefighters rescued him from a drain pipe yesterday.

Sophie James, 40, from Wyeth’s Mews, searched her house after noticing her family’s six-and-a-half foot snake, named Alan, wasn’t in his vivarium at around 10am.

Ms James said: “They’re cold-blooded animals so usually they go to warm areas, like behind the telly or behind the sofa.”

Surrey Comet:

Alan stuck in the guttering along the front of the house

But after searching high and low she spotted four-year-old Alan wedged in guttering along the side of her house, and called the fire service for help.

A firefighter climbed up to the animal and ‘tentatively removed it’ after wrapping it in a blanket.

Surrey Comet:

An Epsom fire station spokesman said: "We were initially concerned the animal may have died, since it was outside all night and boa constrictors need to be kept at a certain temperature.

“But it was moving and is still alive, after being given some TLC by its owner.

"It seems the snake escaped from a top-floor window.

"It must have been left open overnight and the snake clearly took its opportunity."

Ms James’ daughter, Imogen, 16, said they were very lucky the weather has been unseasonably warm this winter.

She said: “He could have been stuck out there all night – and if it had been a normal December night he might not have made it.

“We’ve been warming him up slowly, and he had a bath earlier.

“He’s going to the vet to make sure he hasn’t got any respiratory problems, and hopefully he’ll be fine.”

Besides Alan, the James household also includes a tarantula, and the family have owned snakes in the past.

Ms James explained that snakes are just as easy to keep as a cat or a dog – and the family have never had any problems, apart from the odd escape attempt.

She said: “We let neighbours know when we thought he might have left the house, but they weren’t worried.

“Alan’s not a threat to people or even the cats we keep in the house. He’s never attacked or bitten anyone.

“People have an idea about snakes but really they’re just like any other pet.”

Imogen said: “Snakes are great pets – they’re lovely and a lot of fun.”

Ms James also said the firefighters who rescued Alan would be coming back to check up on him, as well as to give the house a complementary fire check and to install new fire alarms.

She said: “The one who climbed up there to get him was very brave and I think I’ll get them a few beers to thank them.”