Gemma Peters, 25, partner Tony Robinson, 26, and their 21-month-old son, Lewis found the discarded skin of a snake in the attic of their semi on Waddicor Avenue, Ashton under Lyne, when they moved in.

Thinking it belonged to the previous tenants, they thought nothing more, but when they returned to the attic months later, they discovered a new, bigger, skin on top of their boxes.

"I'm a bit scared, sharing my house with a snake, and I'm worried for my son," Gemma said.

"The RSPCA has said there's not much they can do as they're not 100 per cent certain the snake is there.

"But they've told us to keep out of the attic in case it's poisonous. We can't really do that as our things are up there."

The 3ft long skin was shed by a snake as it grew, but the exact species is a mystery.

Paul Rowley, from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, said: "It's most likely that it's not poisonous, but some people keep venomous snakes without a licence and they're not likely to go around shouting about losing a snake.

"But finding the snake could be harder than many people think. The best way to catch it is to find a local snake enthusiast who's prepared to go up regularly and have a look," added Mr Rowley.

"But if the snake's not hungry, it's unlikely it'll come out."

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