FURTHER to photographer Chris Whitty’s picture of a barred grass snake in Farnham Park recently published in the Farnham Herald, readers may be interested in another barred grass snake making an appearance, this one was on the hunt.

Roy Cloude, who’s garden backs on to the field between Wrecclesham Tennis Courts and the railway embankment, has seen a couple of these snakes there over the years, but to his surprise in July, was greeted with this snake, pictured, on the patio near his back door.

“The snake must have caught the frog in my pond but some how it managed to drag itself and the snake some 60 feet towards the house,” said Roy.

“I just had time to rush indoors to find my camera and take a few shots. When I got too close to the snake it released the frog, it was at least one metre long and quickly disappeared into the flower border.

“I managed to catch the frog that appeared unharmed and return it to the pond.”

The barred grass snake, Natrix helvetica, is now recognised by scientists as a species in its own right distinct from the common or eastern grass snake (Natrix natrix) - taking England’s total of native snake species from three to four.