As the owner
of Froghill’s most popular pet shop, Polly Parrotte is used to people coming
through her door unexpectedly.
Yet even the
normally phlegmatic Polly was surprised at the visitor she received yesterday
morning.
“I was just
heating up the soldering iron to neuter one of the guinea pigs when there was
this almighty bang,” said Ms. Parrotte, “and I looked up just in time to see a
fireman bounce through the door and off the end wall.
“Luckily
nothing in the shop got broken and his protective gear prevented him from being
hurt.”
The fireman
was Dennis Rapier, who had been continuously ‘on the bounce’ since a failed training
exercise at the Montague Road fire station the previous afternoon.
“I called
the station and his manager came to pick him up,” said the 38-year-old, “by
which time, the poor man was sound asleep, he was so tired. We lifted him into
the car and he didn’t even flutter an eyelid.
“I must say,
I couldn’t help noticing that he had very highly developed thigh muscles,” she
added.
Ms. Parrotte
continued with her day and no more unusual events occurred. Until, that is, she
came to close up at around 6pm.
“I was just
putting the night covers over the cages,” she said, “when I noticed that one of
the reptile tanks had been overturned. And worse, it was empty.
“I looked
high and low but there was no sign of Monty anywhere.”
‘Monty’ is a
fifteen-foot Reticulated Python, silver in colour with yellow and black zig-zag
markings the length of his body. While non-venomous, Reticulated Pythons have
been known constrict and consume cats, dogs, pigs and, on rare occasions,
humans.
Should you come
across Monty, do not approach him. If at close quarters, divert him with a family
pet or small child and then move quickly to a place of safety.
Polly’s
Pets, Station Approach, Froghill. Phone: 0372 52816.
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