A GABOON Viper, one of the deadliest snakes in the world which has 2.5in fangs, was seized on its way to the North-East today.

It was heading to a small County Durham village with a number of other equally dangerous snakes including the Black Tailed Rattlesnake and the Sidewinder.

The reptiles, which were being kept illegally by private keepers, were all seized in a raid in the South_West of England and will stay at one of the country's few sanctuaries for reptiles in Burnopfield, near Stanley.

Three handlers from the Burnopfield Reptile Trust were jetted down by police to take part in the raid. The three, Peter Heathcote, John Grundy and Stuart Dodsworth, risked their lives to secure the snakes which were due to be flown to Newcastle under police escort today.

Chief executive of the trust Peter Heathcote said he had been in negotiations with police inspector Nevin COR Hunter for months before the raid. He said: "This was a multi-agency raid and we were part of arranging safe seizure of the animals. These are some of the world's deadliest snakes."

Updated:16.00 Wednesday, May 9