Nightmare before Christmas: Woman finds snake among tinsel in tree

A woman in the Australian city of Melbourne got a shock when she found a venomous snake entwined among the tinsel on her Christmas tree.

The householder, who lives in the Frankston district, locked the animal in the room where it was discovered on Sunday and called a specialist.

Professional snake catcher Barry Goldsmith attended the home and safely removed it.

Mr Goldsmith said it was likely to have gone into the tree as the warmer weather had made it more active.

He said: "It's one of the more different ones, but we find them in all sorts of places. Tiger snakes are very good climbers."

The bite of the reptile, which is common in the area, is potentially fatal to humans.

Its colouring can be yellow, orange-brown and jet black, which might have made it difficult to spot.

The snake catcher added that people should leave them alone and not try to kill them.

"It's dangerous, it's illegal, and it's cruel," he said.