PICKING up dozens of the deadliest snakes in the world in a police raid is not everybody's idea of an ideal job.

But for the men of the Reptile Trust, handling dozens of rare snakes with enough venom between them to kill up to 400 people is the best job in the world.

"We were like children in a sweet shop," said full-time Reptile Trust handler John Grundy as he described picking up the snakes, including an African gaboon viper which has two-and-a-half inch fangs.

Three handlers from the Reptile Trust, which is at Burnopfield near Stanley, were taken by Plymouth police to take part in a raid on two houses. One of the creatures, which police believe had been illegally imported, was being kept in a two-year-old boy's bedroom.

Breeds of snakes picked up include an African rhinoceros viper, African horned vipers, North American rattlesnakes, Malaysian eyelash vipers, Australian Bredl's pythons and South American water cobras.

The Reptile Trust was asked by Devon and Cornwall police to take the creatures. Council officers and RSPCA officers were also involved.

The expensive snakes were this week being held in the hospital unit at the trust headquarters and video surveillance was installed to ensure their safety. The team drove them up from Plymouth on Wednesday night. They are not on public display at the moment.

"These snakes are beautiful and in excellent condition," said Mr Grundy. "There's some that Peter Heathcote, our chief executive, says he has never seen before in this country. To us it was fantastic."

The trust hopes the snakes will eventually be found homes in zoos somewhere in the European Union. It is unlikely a British zoo will be found.