A rare snake has been spotted near a school in Beaconsfield.

Lindsay Brennwald, 71, was walking back with a friend from a cafe at 12.30pm when he spotted a Barred grass snake.

Mr Brennwald spotted the snake on the side of the road next to Holtspur School in Cherry Tree Road on Monday, September 25.

He said: "We paused to talk on the pavement by the caretaker's cottage.

"When I glanced down at the side of the road I saw that a snake of some sort (we learnt later it was a grass snake) had been run over in the gutter. 

"We were curious, not at all concerned as to how, where and why it had got there. There have been sightings of snakes in the corner of the green some years ago but that corner is over 300m away."

Lindsay thinks the snake might have escaped. 

Adding "It's not native to the UK so it may have escaped or been let loose from a vivarium. They are not dangerous, but scary if you see a live one."

According to the National Trust, grass snakes are found across most of England and Wales, but are absent from Scotland and Ireland.

The species can occur in a variety of habitats, including woodland, but is normally found close to water. It may even occur in gardens with ponds and plenty of vegetation.

The National Trust said: "Grass snakes are shy creatures and will quickly retreat into cover after detecting a human. Your best chance of seeing one is to visit a suitable habitat early in the morning.

"This is when the snakes have to bask in the sun to generate warmth. If you disturb a snake, it’s worth quietly revisiting the spot as the same basking points are often used regularly."