Don't take your eye off the ball

I love snakes, fascinating and beautiful creatures. Most people, including me, are scared or at least very wary of them. But many kill them when there is no need. Australian snakes have a fearsome reputation which is pretty unfounded.

Fewer people have been killed by snakes in recorded history than cars kill in one month or so.

My sister knows my enthusiasm for the legless wonders and, joined by my parents, bought me a course to learn more about them for my birthday. But I'm going further and becoming a registered snake handler, on call to rescue snakes from my neighbours. As a volunteer for NSW Wildlife charity, WIRES, people will be able to call me to remove venomous snakes from their homes.

But the course was not without a few hairy moments - as this 'rescue' of an angry carpet python shows.