Image copyright Scottish SPCA

When Maria Boxall found a snake in her luggage following a holiday in Australia, she thought it had been placed there by a member of her family.

But the Scottish grandmother quickly realised it was not a practical joke - when she touched it, it moved.

She had inadvertently transported the reptile in her suitcase on a flight from Queensland to Glasgow.

Ms Boxall only discovered it hiding in a shoe - complete with shed skin - as she unpacked at her Stirlingshire home.

The snake was taken outside in the shoe and contained by a relative until Scottish SPCA staff arrived in Bridge of Allan.

The snake turned out to be a python, which is not dangerous.

Mrs Boxall's son-in-law Paul Airlie told the story of the international-travelling snake to an Australian radio station.

He said she had mentioned thinking she had seen a snake in her room over there before she left but had thought it was gone.

Scottish SPCA animal rescue officer Taylor Johnstone said: "I can confirm that we removed a snake from a property in Bridge of Allan.

"I responded to a call from a woman who had just returned from a holiday in Australia who had found a small snake inside her shoe in her suitcase.

"When I arrived, the snake had been contained by the caller, so I safely removed the snake from the property. Upon examination, the snake was found to be a spotted python which is not venomous.

The snake is in quarantine at our animal rescue and rehoming centre in Edinburgh."

It is thought the snake may be may be given to a zoo after it passes quarantine.