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while I turned the car around he went into the reptile house to bring out the snake. As he opened the door I saw what looked like a very large scarf around his neck as he jumped in. "Keep that thing away from me" I croaked shaking as I started the car up. Admitedly he was very good and kept the snake well away from me. At the barn he jumped out of the car and said he would only be a few minutes showing the snake to the visitors and then we would have to take it straight back before it got too cold. True to his word he was out and in the car with the snake again within 5 minutes. I was of course blaze by then and was just chatting with him as we drove back to the reptile house until I tried to change gear! As I reached for the gear lever I felt something flick across my hand. I looked down and there was the snake wrapped around the gear lever with his tongue flicking in and out. This snake, by the way, was over 15 foot long (a baby I was told) but I didn't care if it was a baby. I screamed, the car swerved and went straight up a bank. Luckily no-one or my car was hurt but that was the last time I allowed a snake in my car, big or small.

We then took possession of a baby Bengal tiger that had been rejected by its mother. The keepers had to hand rear him and feed him and I used to take him out and about within the grounds of the Park every day on a lead. He was adorable and very loving. However, when he was 6 months old the owner said we would have to put him in an enclosure permanently as he was getting too boisterous with his play. I knew that because every day I went home with scratches all over my legs and arms. He was only playing but his claws were lethal.

The Park went from strength to strength. They built a huge restaurant in the grounds, visitor numbers went up but then I met my husband and moved away from the area and therefore stopped working at the Park. I have very fond memories of my time working with these fantastic animals and have much more stories to tell, funny as well as sad and one day would like to write a book about it all including all the photos I took of them whilst I was there. Maybe now I am retired I may get the time to do it you never know.

Learn more about this author, Jenny Holmes.
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