Snake Breeder Killed By His King Cobra's Bite

A snake breeder has died from a bite from one of his king cobras just as he was about to open a sanctuary for them.

The man, believed to be Luke Yeomans, is said to have been killed by the venomous reptile at his home in Eastwood, Nottingham.

The conservationist, who was in his 40s, had been due to open the King Cobra Sanctuary breeding colony to the public this weekend.

Police officers were called to his house on Wednesday afternoon following a suspected heart attack as a result of the bite,  a spokeswoman said, adding he died at the scene.

She said the snake has been contained and there was no danger to the public.

The sanctuary, based at Brookhill Leys Farm, is aimed at offering people the chance to see king cobras in a breeding colony.

Writing on its website previously, Mr Yeomans said: "The King Cobra Sanctuary was born from my lifelong love for this amazing snake species and my concerns that it could eventually disappear from the wild.

"With 30 years experience of the King Cobra, myself and my daughter Nicole - now in our third year of the project - will maintain a breeding colony of this large and dangerous, but also misunderstood venomous snake."