A woman who opened her suitcase after flying home to Scotland from Australia was shocked to discover a snake hiding inside one of her shoes.

Moira Boxall realised the spotted python had made the almost 10,000 mile journey from Queensland to Glasgow with her when she found it curled up in a slip-on sandal.

Paul Airlie, Ms Boxall’s son-in-law, said she had initially assumed it was a toy snake put there as a prank until she prodded the serpent and it suddenly moved.

“She was not at all expecting to find the snake when she was unpacking a bag when she got back to Scotland,” Mr Airlie, who lives in the Queensland city of Mackay, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

“She absolutely lost it – it was her first real encounter with a snake ... Somehow or other it got from Mackay to Glasgow without being detected.”

Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Show all 19 1 /19 Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Alligator From Alligator Bay zoo in Beauvoir, France AFP/Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Gorilla Photo dated 14 September 2003 shows 40-year-old Copo de Nieve (Snowflake), the only albino gorilla in the Barcelona zoo, Spain. Zoo specialists said that the gorilla was suffering from leather cancer and that his life expectancy is of about three months. AFP PHOTO/CESAR RANGEL (Photo credit should read CESAR RANGEL/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Wallaby Albino wallaby in a zoo in mother's pouch Bergamo, Italy AFP/Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Panda Spotted in China's Wolong National Nature Reserve on 26 May 2019 AFP/Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Python From Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, Bristol Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Albino squirrel in Louth Stephen Plant Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Tiger An albino tiger remains in its cage in the house where 15 members of the Beltran Leyva brothers cartel were arrested in Alvaro Obregon district, Mexico City, on October 20, 2008. The detainees, 11 of which are Colombian, were presented to the press on October 19, 2008. AFP PHOTO/Ronaldo Schemidt (Photo credit should read Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Porcupine Albino porcupine from the Kamla Nehru zoo in Ahmedabad, India AFP/Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Albino squirrel in Louth Stephen Plant Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Albino squirrel in Louth Stephen Plant Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Hedgehog An albino hedgehog from a zoo in Sochi, Russia AFP/Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Peacock Not technically an albino, the white peacock in the Nehru Zoo in Hyderabad, India AFP/Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Gorilla MADRID, SPAIN: (FILES) -- File portrait taken 26 May 1997 shows Copito de Nieve (Snow Flake) the only albino gorilla held in captivity at Barcelona zoo. Spanish animal lovers are facing up to an emotional farewell to Copito de Nieve fighting a losing battle with skin cancer at Barcelona zoo. Copito has been at the zoo since 1966 and is believed to be aged between 38 and 40. Catalan primatologist Sabater Pi found the gorilla in 1966 in the forest of Nko, in Guinea. AFP PHOTO DOMINIQUE FAGET/FILES (Photo credit should read DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Squirrel Albino squirrel in Louth Stephen Plant Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Wallaby Albino wallaby in a zoo in mother's pouch Bergamo, Italy AFP/Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Peacock Not technically an albino, the white peacock in the Nehru Zoo in Hyderabad, India AFP/Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Zebra Albino zebra in Nairobi's national park AFP/Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Tortoise A baby Hermann's Tortoise from the Turtle Valley animal park in Sorede, France AFP/Getty Albino animals: squirrels, gorillas, hedgehogs and more Alligator A baby albino alligator in the Sao Paulo aquarium, Brazil AFP/Getty

Ms Boxall had been visiting her daughter and her son-in-law, and had even told them she was worried about snakes in the area.

The Scotswoman thought she spotted one in her room a few days before she left, but couldn’t track it down.

After discovering a snake had made the flight back to Scotland inside her luggage, Ms Boxall put it in a box, took it out to her garden and phoned her family in Queensland.

“She called us here in Australia and we phoned the Scottish SPCA and told them that there was a snake in the house,” Mr Airlie.

“We had to tell them it was from Australia and that it could have been a venomous snake. Luckily we found out it was a spotted python so it was fine – it could have been worse.”

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Upon closer inspection by Scottish SPCA staff, the non venomous snake was found to have shed its skin during its 9,300 mile plane journey.

“The snake is now in quarantine at our animal rescue and re-homing centre in Edinburgh,” said Taylor Johnstone, an animal rescue officer for the charity.

Shaken up by her experience, Ms Boxall is considering whether she will ever return to Australia.