Officers from Thames Valley Police encountered two large snakes while on routine patrol in the centre of Oxford.

PC Moore and PC Galbraith were carrying out their duties in the city on Thursday afternoon when they found Medusa and Pandora, which are both Royal python breeds.

The reptiles belong to a couple who set out to demonstrate that serpents do not deserve their negative reputation.

The owners are understood to be 24-year-old Peter Mills and his partner Charlie Wren. Mr Mills informed the Oxford Mail that he shares a one-bedroom property on Cowley Road with fifteen snakes, while Ms Wren, who is 23 and works as a canine hydrotherapist in Witney, assists him with their care.

In recent weeks, the pair were observed in the city centre taking their corn snakes called Mushu and Felkor, along with the Royal python Medusa, outside for exercise during sunny weather.

Reports of pythons in the area also emerged from Donnington and Port Meadow during the previous year.