Snaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake!
Our science lab had a lot of books in it. Big, thick books with many equations and molecular diagrams. Books you'd need a sat nav to find your way through.

To my knowledge, in the 4 years I was at that school no-one ever read those books. They were there for the sole purpose of weighing down the lid of the snake tank. They didn't do their job well, and the snake would escape once a month or so. (This might be due to bored students wanting to cause a distraction...)

The snake, a california king snake, was lovely, really friendly, and we were all so used to her randomly being on the floor or crawling along the radiators that we didn't pay it any mind.

On one occasion, however, she did cause a bit of a sensation. This was the day when our school was being visited by the local MP, Harry Hurricane. Oh, and a large percentage of the local press.

Unknown to us, Harry was scared of snakes. He posed with each class for a photo, and decided to linger in the science department with the skeleton, wall displays and other photogenic scenery. We were bored by this point, and when we saw the snake casually weaving its way through the crowd we watched with interest, but no-one did anything too obvious.

Posing for the photo...

And the snake crawls across Harry's foot.

The man SHRIEKED and literally jumped in the air, sending the frightened snake running, err... sliding for the hills. He turns to the teachers and demands to know why the snake is roaming free- those poor children, how frightening! What a risk! (Those poor children are laughing like loons, making him less happy, the teachers are trying to hide their amusement with about the same amount of success.)

...best part? The photograph appearing in the local paper a few days later, with Harry the amazing hopping MP screaming in the middle of a group of normal-looking kids, the snake just out of shot...
(Sivvus trolley collision in the fruit aisle led to a jam, Thu 17 Mar 2011, 15:07, 2 replies)

Is the photo kicking around anywhere?

( Extinct Jesus Dossier "...I think it counteracts Hitler's magic...", Thu 17 Mar 2011, 17:24, closed)

I hope so!
This was a fair few years ago now though, I certainly don't have a copy.
(Sivvus trolley collision in the fruit aisle led to a jam, Thu 17 Mar 2011, 21:54, closed)