Julie Davis and Mick Lancaster, from Bebington, were enjoying a week-long break on the Welsh coast in Anglesey last week.
However, their peaceful getaway was disrupted when Mick, 68, had to be rushed to hospital after being bitten by a snake, suspected to be an adder, on Rhosneigr beach.
Julie, 60, recounted to the Liverpool Echo how they had been sunning themselves on the beach on Wednesday (May 6) after a dip in the sea when Mick was bitten. She explained: “We were lying on the beach sunbathing.
“We had just been for a swim in the sea and moved our towels so we were facing the sun. We had a bite to eat and then laid down on the towels, on our stomachs, to sunbathe, and he was bitten right at the top of his thigh.
“The only thing we can think of is that when we have moved our towels, we haven’t noticed the snake – it’s come down off the sand dunes – and gone under his towel slightly, then when he has laid on it, it has bitten him. We were told afterwards that they don’t usually bite unless they are provoked, so that’s the only thing we can think of.”
Julie continued: “I thought he had been stung by a wasp at first. I jumped up but couldn’t see anything. I said, ‘Are you sure it wasn’t a wasp?’ and he said, ‘No, it was something long.’ Then he pulled the towel back, and it was curled up underneath. It slithered down towards the water.”
The 60 year old woman tracked the snake to the water’s edge to ensure it had slithered away and to snap a photo to alert others. They immediately dashed off to Bangor Hospital to have Mick’s thigh bite examined, as his leg had started to swell.
Julie recounted: “We packed up and went straight to the hospital because his leg had started swelling; his leg was red hot, and it was really painful.
“The swelling started going from the top of his thigh all the way down his leg to the top of his knee. It was really swollen; he was in so much pain.”
She revealed that Mick was given two paracetamol by the hospital staff for the pain and was kept in overnight for monitoring following a two-hour wait in A&E.
The pair are now keen to raise awareness and urge caution among beachgoers, as the ordeal left them quite shaken. Julie explained: “We had gone on holiday for one week together, and we ended up in the hospital two days into our break. We went on Monday, and it happened on Wednesday, and he was in the hospital overnight.
“It was scary; you don’t know what to do. I thought, ‘Should I try and suck it out?’ but then what if I get an allergic reaction or something? We just want to make people aware, especially with kids’ school holidays coming up; what if a child was bitten? Kids run around and don’t pay attention; it could have been much worse.”
