A two-metre-long snake took pedestrians by surprise when it was found in the street yesterday.

The milk snake weighing in at one and a half kilograms was found at about 9.55am after pedestrians flagged down officers patrolling Stepney Way, Stepney.

In a video clip shared on social media a policeman wearing gloves can be seen pulling the beast out from behind a wall before placing it in a crate.

Tower Hamlets police tweeted the black, red and yellow striped reptile was in a good condition and appeared well looked after.

Officers tweeted: “Quick reactions and intervention ensured the snake was caught safely.”

The slithery creature, which is usually active at night, likes to blend in with ground litter and is not venomous, was found on World Snake Day, a bid by conservationists to end the bad rap the animals get.

The owner of the milk snake – now being looked after by a pet shop – should call 101 and quote CAD 2356/16JUL18.