Residents at a Wells care home came face to face with snakes, spiders and scorpions after an animal team brought a menagerie of unusual creatures in for a hands-on visit.

Crandon Springs Care Home hosted the session with GRAB — Garwynn's Reptiles And Bugs — giving residents the chance to get up close to animals many had never seen before, let alone held.

The visit saw residents meet everything from hissing cockroaches and giant African snails to an Asian forest scorpion and a vinegarroon, an arachnid known for its scorpion-like look.

One of the stars of the show was Goldie, an 11-year-old Mexican golden knee tarantula. But it was the snakes that really stole the spotlight.

Residents were especially taken with Peanut, a four-month-old royal python, and Fizz, another royal python, with resident Ann joking that she would "love to take him home".

The animal encounters did not stop there. Residents also met Monty the boa constrictor and Halo, an albino Burmese python which can grow up to 14ft long.

For some, the session was not just unusual — it was a chance to conquer a fear. Resident Sue, who had lived with a lifelong fear of snakes, ended the visit having handled several of them.

Emily, from the Activities Team, also pushed herself out of her comfort zone by holding the tarantula.

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"Life at Crandon Springs Care Home is all about meaningful and memorable experiences, and sometimes that leads to unusual and unexpected activities," she said.

"It was exciting and interesting to see and interact with these extraordinary creatures, and it sparked a lot of conversation and laughter. For many of us it also brought a sense of achievement, as we overcame our fears."

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