Neville Linton, a 63-year-old cleaning worker from Stourbridge, UK, was shocked when he discovered a live snake inside a bag of broccoli he had purchased from an Aldi supermarket.
After buying the broccoli and placing it in his refrigerator, Neville opened the packaging three days later to prepare a meal and found a creature hidden in the stem of the broccoli. Initially mistaking it for a caterpillar, he soon realized it was a snake and immediately called his 57-year-old sister, Ann-Marie Tenkanemin, for help. Together, they placed the snake in a basin and drove to the supermarket to seek compensation.
Neville's 41-year-old son, Donovan Linton, revealed that the snake was later taken to Dudley Zoo, where experts identified it as a young ladder snake. This species is native to southwestern Europe, including Portugal, Spain, southern France, and parts of Italy. The ladder snake is non-venomous but can be aggressive and emit a foul odor when threatened.
Expressing his displeasure, Neville said he is not skilled at handling snakes and considered himself fortunate not to have left the broccoli out in the kitchen, as the snake could have roamed freely inside the house. "This posed a huge risk for us because we have a disabled son and a frail mother-in-law living here," he said. The incident also affected his emotional well-being. Although he has received some compensation, Neville is seeking a higher amount.
An Aldi spokesperson stated that their supplier has never received complaints of this nature and maintains strict procedures to prevent such incidents. They are investigating this isolated case and apologized to the Linton family for the lapse in their usual high standards.
