Wildlife expert bitten by snake at safari park

Snake expert and TV presenter Mark O'Shea was airlifted to hospital after being bitten on the leg by a King Cobra at West Midland Safari Park.

Paramedics were called to the attraction, in Bewdley, at around 4pm yesterday after Mr O'Shea suffered the bite during a routine feeding.

Mr O'Shea, the consultant curator for reptiles at the park, was already being cared for on site by first aiders who had immobilised his leg and had the necessary anti-venom ready.

The 56-year-old, renowned as one of the world's leading reptile experts, was taken to Worcester Royal Hospital, where he is stable today.

Mr O'Shea, who has also presented TV programmes for Channel 4 and the Discovery Channel, has worked a the park for around 25 years. He is originally from Wolverhampton and now lives in Telford.

Head keeper Bob Lawrence said: "This was a routine feeding and something went wrong. We will be investigating.

"At the moment we do not know what happened. We have not been able to speak to Mark as he is still in hospital but will talk to him when he comes out."

Mr Lawrence said the park kept a supply of anti-venom for all its poisonous snakes and had worked out procedures with the Worcester Royal Hospital for such an emergency.