A snake owner has said he is concerned a missing 7ft boa constrictor could be on the loose in Hull's sewerage system.

Police alerted people living in parts of the city after Paul Kemp told officers his pet El-Diablo - or "Ellie" for short - could have disappeared down the toilet.

Householders have been told to make sure small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs are secure until the five-year-old common Colombian boa constrictor is found.

But Mr Kemp said people should also be wary of leaving very small babies alone in prams in their gardens, even though it is extremely unlikely Ellie would attack a human.

He explained how the snake escaped from a purpose-built vivarium in a downstairs room at his home in Wharncliffe Street.

"I've torn the house apart for three hours looking for her," he said.

"There's no sign of her at all so I called the police.

"It could be she's still in the house but she could have gone down the toilet. She might have looked for the water."

A spokeswoman for Humberside Police said Mr Kemp was a snake keeper with almost 20 years' experience who often rescued the reptiles.

He has had Ellie, who is between 6ft 6in and 7ft with a red tail, for more than four years.