Neville Linton, 63, bought a bag of broccoli from Aldi in Stourbridge, England, but discovered a snake inside when he unwrapped it three days later. The snake, likely a viperine water snake, had somehow ended up in the shipment from southwestern Europe. Neville, terrified of snakes, immediately contacted his sister, who identified it, and took it to the store. It was later confirmed by specialists to be a young ladder snake.
Neville is seeking compensation, citing the potential danger to his disabled son and vulnerable mother-in-law. Aldi apologized for the incident and is investigating, but Neville feels the compensation offered isn’t enough. The herpetologist involved in the case explained the snake was non-venomous and unlikely to bite humans, though he acknowledged Neville’s distress.