EXOTIC snakes greeted the first customers at Morgans Pets to celebrate its relaunch in a larger premises.

Snakey Sue draped a Kenyan sand boa and royal python among others on customers’ shoulders as they visited the Harwich High Street store.

They also got crafty with Hayley Wilby who held a metal stamping workshop and had their faces painted.

It is the start of a new era for owner Paul Cremer, 51, of Clacton, who recently downsized from two shops to one.

He said: “I was over the moon. At one point you could only just get into the door because the shop was absolutely full.

“Sue pulled some lovely snakes out. The albino yellow Burmese python got the most attention, they’re just beautiful.

“My daughter Morgan [ten] was struggling to hold it, it was so heavy, but she loved it. The shop is named after her and she works with me on a Saturday.”

New and old Harwich mayors John Brown and Dave McLeod also lent their support at the opening.

Paul said he cannot wait to become part of the Harwich business community and wants traders to pull together.

He said: “One of the things I wanted to achieve from the start was to buy everything for the shop from Harwich.

“If everybody helps each other locally, everybody wins. I’m a real believer of that.

“Harwich has supported me by buying my products and this is a little way I can put something back into it.

“I’m very positive about the future. Now I have a shop I really like which is the right size and in a great location so I’m quite confident.”