A man who is terrified of snakes came face to face with what he believes is a three-metre python that was dumped in Gżira, metres away from a playground.

George* was returning to his car parked near Ġnien il-Kunsill ta’ L-Ewropa in Gżira when he spotted an old whisky keg in a skip. He immediately jumped in the skip to retrieve it, noticing a big reinforced sack beside it.

“I opened it up and that’s when I came face to face with the python. I froze and my friend had to pull me out.

“We then called the police who provided an RSPCA number. We called them to no avail, so we then contacted the police again.

“Half-an-hour later three officers turned up and after another three hours, the snake was removed from the site,” he said, standing a few metres away from the bright yellow plastic skip.

I froze and my friend had to pull me out

“My fear is that there might have been more snakes. This was a live, three-metre, light brown, python dumped right next to a children’s park. If somebody is that irresponsible to dump one lethal predator, I have a massive fear that he could have dumped more,” he said.

The man’s claim rekindles questions over the regulation of dangerous animals.

In 2012, a two-metre boa constrictor called Skittles had escaped from its tank in Msida, triggering off alarm in the area. It was later found, dead, near the Junior College.

A spokesman for the Parliamentary Secretariat of Animal Rights said discussions about regulating exotic pets were still ongoing and work on the proposed regulation would be finalised in the coming weeks.

Questions sent to the Police about the incident remained unanswered.

*Name has been changed.