text: A mother was left in shock after her four-year-old daughter discovered a four-foot snake in the bath - just a week after moving into the house. Michelle Woods, from Norton in Teesside, was told by her daughter Elisha Mann that 'something was moving' in the bath. And when the pair walked into the bathroom to check what was there, that's when they came face to face with the reptile. The four-foot red and orange corn snake, which Michelle Woods discovered slithering around in the bathroom of her new home. She believes it may belong to the property's previous tenant . Mrs Woods, a full-time mother, said: 'I thought she was joking, but Elisha made me go and have a look, so I went and checked the bin and nothing was there. 'But then I looked up and I was face-to-face with a snake. I nearly jumped out of my skin and slammed the door shut. 'I even made sure our cat Smotker was locked downstairs in case it tried to attack it. I had no idea at the time if it was dangerous or not.' Panicking, Ms Woods said she called the RSPCA, who were unable to help - so in desperation, posted an appeal on Facebook. Within an hour, a local woman who keeps snakes had recognised her plight and identified the reptile as a corn snake, a non-venomous species normally kept as a pet. The woman then came to the house and took away the snake so Ms Woods and Elisha could get a good night's sleep. Ms Woods, 44, added: 'It was a great response. Obviously, they thought I was just joking at first but when I sent them a picture they posted it up online and I got some help straight away. Michelle Woods with her daughter Elisha Mann, who first spotted the snake in the bath before alerting her mother . It is not clear how the snake ended up in the bathroom, but Ms Woods believes that the previous tenant may have kept snakes as pets and lost the red and orange reptile while moving. She explained: 'We couldn't think of another way it could have got into the house, but goodness knows where it had been for the week we lived there before he spotted it. 'I was petrified at first and I was a bit nervoud about using the bathroom for the rest of the night. 'But luckily we haven't found anything else yet!' But the encounter didn't faze four-year-old Elisha, who said: 'When I saw the snake it was really still. 'I wasn't scared at all. I knew not to touch it. I'm looking forward to telling me friends about it at school.'
target: Michelle Woods told by her daughter of 'something moving' in the bath .
  Went to check and found a four-foot orange corn snake slithering around .
  Panicking she posted an appeal on Facebook for help to rescue the reptile .
  Believes her home's previous tenant kept snakes as pets and may have lost it moving out .