RSPCA inspectors have launched a hunt for the owners of a snake after it was found abandoned in a plastic bag outside an East Lancashire shop.

The grey rat snake was discovered by passers-by in a plastic parrot food bag dumped near the Spar shop in Accrington Road, Burnley, last Wednesday.

A message "snake in bag, needs looking at, sorry" had been scribbled on a scrap of paper taped to the bag.

The abandoned pet has now been named Slytherin by RSPCA staff after one of the Hogwart's School houses in the Harry Potter books.

The snake, similar to a boa constrictor, was badly dehydrated and had been kept in such poor conditions that it had failed to shed its skin more than three times. Dry patches of skin had also stuck to its eyes, affecting its sight.

Slytherin was rescued by RSPCA animal collection officer Jon Kerrigan and was taken to Preston snake specialist John Makinson where it is now recovering.

Mr Kerrigan said: "This is just another example of why exotic animals do not make good pets for the non-experienced.

"Although this snake was not significantly underweight, the conditions it had been kept in meant it had failed to shed its skin properly.

"Feeding an exotic animal like this is not the be all and end all of the care it needs. Exotics need specialist knowledge or they will fail to thrive or even die.

"If this snake had not been spotted so quickly I am certain it would soon have perished in the cold. Saying sorry when you abandon an animal is just not good enough and if we can trace the owner the RSPCA will consider legal action."

Anyone with information on Slytherin can contact the RSPCA on 08705 555999 in confidence.

Slytherin is not the first rat snake to be found in East Lancashire.

Earlier this year a five-foot rat snake was spotted by Carl Green from Helmshore, as he was playing golf with his wife Julie and their 10-year-old son Blake at Baxenden Golf Club.