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A chef preparing a dish from cobra flesh died when the snake's head bit him - 20 minutes AFTER it was cut off.

Victim Peng Fan had been preparing a special dish made from the Indochinese spitting cobra, a rare delicacy in Asia where eating snakes is commonplace.

But when he went to throw the serpent's severed head into the waste bin, it bit him - injecting him with its fast acting venom.

Police say Mr Peng died before he could be given life saving anti-venom in hospital.

Diners who were eating in the restaurant at the time have described screams coming from the kitchen as the tragedy unfolded.

Restaurant guest Lin Sun, 44, who was in the restaurant with his wife Su at the time said: "We were in the restaurant having a meal for my wife's birthday when suddenly there was a lot of commotion.

"We did not know what was happening but could hear screams coming from the kitchen.

"There were calls for a doctor in the restaurant but unfortunately by the time medical assistance arrived the man had already died. After we heard that we did not continue with our meal."

A police spokesman said: "It is a highly unusual case but it appears to be just an accident. He prepared the snake himself and was just unlucky.

"There was nothing that could be done to save the man. Only the anti-venom could have helped but this was not given in time. It was just a tragic accident."

The snake was being diced up to be made into snake soup, which is a delicacy in the area and a much sought after dish in high-end restaurants. China has seen a rising demand for snake products, not only in restaurants but also for use in traditional medicine.

Snake expert Yang Hong-Chang - who has spent 40 years studying cobras - says all reptiles can function for up to an hour after losing body parts, or even their entire body.

The video above shows another chef removing the head of a similar snake as he prepares to cook it, removing the head first. Both the head and the body can clearly be seen to move after they are severed.

Mr Yang said: "It is perfectly possible that the head remained alive and bit Peng's hand. By the time a snake has lost its head, it’s effectively dead as basic body functions have ceased, but there is still some reflexive action.

"It means snakes have the capability of biting and injecting venom even after the head has been severed."

The Indochinese spitting cobra - or Naja siamensis - is also known as the Thai or black and white spitting cobra.

It's found in south east Asian countries including Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand and Vietnam.

Adults average 3ft to 3.9ft long but can reach a maximum of 5ft, and are found in lowlands, hills, plains, woodland and jungle. It mainly feeds on rodents, toads, and other snakes.

Primarily nocturnal, it is more likely to flee when threatened during daylight. At night it becomes more aggressive, display its hood and spit out venom.

Death is caused by paralysis and consequent asphyxiation, but even if the snake only spits venom in a victim's eyes they can be permanently blinded.

The fearsome reptiles require careful handling to avoid tragedies like this. The video below shows the same species of cobra having its venom extracted at a zoo.

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Mr Peng was from Shunde, a district in the city of Foshan in southern China's Guangdong province. Residents of the province have a long history of enjoying snake meats of all sorts in local culinary dishes.

For many centuries it has been commonly served up in a soup, and is also taken as part of Chinese medicine, for it is believed that snake meat can cure ailments.

It's part of a 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger' concept - the more poisonous the delicacy, the more beneficial it is seen as being to the body.

One local said: "Snake meat is really good for us. It is not so easy to get and is expensive but it has spectacular health benefits.

"I have never heard any cases of a dead snake killing anyone, especially not in the kitchen."