A SNAKE was captured in a dustbin by North Yorkshire police after officers were called out by concerned residents.

The five foot long yellow and black snake was spotted in Meadow Lane, Northallerton, just after 5pm yesterday, a police spokesman said.

Officers attended the scene and found the snake under a pot plant. The snake was placed into a dustbin for safekeeping pending the arrival of the RSPCA.

An RSPCA spokesman said they were unsure at this stage what kind of species the snake was or where it had come from.

Updated: 10:39 Wednesday, July 16, 2003