A SNAKE has been pictured by a quick-thinking photographer in Worcestershire.

Keen photographer Roger Mason snapped the grass snake after noticing movement by the edge of a lake at a county nature reserve in Ripple, near Upton-upon-Severn.

Mr Mason was originally looking to grab pictures of dragonflies at the lakes before he spotted the snake.

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He said: "I was down at the Ripple Lakes yesterday which is now a bit of a nature reserve after the old quarrying workings there.

"There are two large lakes there now each side of the M50 motorway. As I was wandering about I noticed movement in the water just by the edge of the lake.

"Fortunately I already had my camera ready and was able to get a few shots of the grass snake before it swam off into the reeds."

Roger Mason submitted the images to the Worcester News Camera Club.

The grass snake is the longest snake you can find in Worcestershire according to the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.

Grass snakes are harmless to humans and can often be found in wetland habitats.

They can live between 15-25 years and can commonly be observed between April and October in the county.

The species is protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.