Snake Forced Passengers Off The Train

Snakes has forced 450 passengers off a train in Switzerland while police searched for the reptile.The 50cm non-venomous garter snake was spotted by commuters as they boarded the early morning service from Bern to the northern city of Basel.

"All 450 passengers on the train were evacuated," Donatella Del Vecchio, a spokeswoman for the SBB national rail company, said.

They were put on another train that left around half an hour later.

The small snake was eventually tracked down to a ventilation shaft and captured, Bern police said.

Ms Del Vecchio said she suspected a passengers has taken the snake onto the train and it had escaped.