A SHOCKED pub-goer has spoken of her ordeal after a man took a snake into a packed bar.

Amanda Boyce, 36, was partying in V Bar, in High Street, Colchester, with friends at a school reunion when she saw the man with a snake around his neck.

Mrs Boyce, from Monkwick, said: “I have a massive phobia of snakes. I can’t even look at a picture of one, so when I heard, I ran upstairs to the toilets.

“I had a complete panic attack. I was crying and couldn’t breathe, my heart was pounding and I thought I was going to pass out. There were a lot of girls in the toilet hiding from it.

“I had to be taken out of a side door, it was terrifying.

“It should never have been allowed. You can’t wear trainers in some bars, but you can take a snake in!”

A spokesman for Essex Police said it was not illegal to take snakes into bars, unless the snake was venomous, or if it was being caused suffering.

Sammy Britton, V Bar manager, said: “A man walked into the bar with a small snake hidden under his coat, and as soon as we knew, we got the doormen to ask him to leave.

“He was a friendly chap, but just did not realise it was not appropriate.”