A TOWY Valley farmer received a shock earlier this week when he came across an adder stretching over two foot long.

William Theophilus of Cilycwm, a freelance photographer for the South Wales Guardian, spotted the snake while collecting a round bale for his cattle on Monday morning.

Will said: "The last time I saw anything like this was during shearing time in 1969, while gathering the sheep for shearing with my father and our neighbours.

"Coincidently that year, it was the last time I'd seen the red squirrel on our land by the edge of the coniferous wood of Cwmfrangenol, around the middle of May.

"It is unusual to see the adder at this time of year however the weather was humid at the 1969 sighting as it is now."

Will believes the round 40 metre bales would possibly make a good incubator.

The adder is the only venomous snake native to Britain, but they are rarely aggressive. They only use their venom as a last means of defence, usually if caught or accidentally trodden on.

No one has died from an adder bite in Britain for more than 20 years.

With proper treatment, the worst effects are nausea and drowsiness, followed by severe swelling and bruising in the area of the bite.