Bitten snake handler goes back to work

Reptile expert Mark O'Shea has spoken of being poisoned by one of the world's most deadly snakes – as he returned to work at West Midlands Safari Park less than 24 hours after being bitten.

The snake handler at the Bewdley attraction had been feeding a rat to King Cobra Sleeping Beauty when she sank her fangs into his shoe two days ago.

The bite did not break his skin so he did not realise the venom had entered his body until he was on stage talking to visitors shortly afterwards when he began to feel his throat seizing up and dizziness.

The 56-year-old said: "I was feeding the King Cobra a rat using forceps, which is the normal procedure, but she missed it. She was then moving around for it and went for the nearest thing which was my foot."

Mr O'Shea, who has also presented TV programmes, apologised to the audience and left the stage for colleagues to carry out the snake bite procedure. He was taken to hospital, but required no treatement as the effects of the venom wore off.

"I had been wearing my boots without socks the weekend before and I had rubbed my toes raw. This was how the venom got in," the handler, now of Telford, said.