Charna Tomlinson loves playing with Tracey

A Sheffield family has been reunited with its 11 feet long pet python.

Paul Tomlinson, 34, said he was "overjoyed" to have found Tracey the Burmese python safe and well.

Tracey, who is named after Mr Tomlinson's wife, had not eaten for two weeks when she escaped from her glass tank at the family's home on Sunday.

She was found shortly before 1500 BST on Wednesday curled up in nearby allotments.

'Bit grumpy'

Mr Tomlinson, who lives with his wife and three children in Wincobank Lane, Grimesthorp, joined forces with police to mount a search for the runaway python, warning she could pose a threat to animals and small children.

"She has still not been fed so I'm going to give her a couple of rabbits," Mr Tomlinson said.

"She is a little bit upset and a little bit grumpy, hissing and struggling, so I'm going to give her a good feed."

Tracey went missing in similar circumstances a year ago.

Following her latest bid for freedom Mr Tomlinson said he would step up the security on Tracey's tank.

"I want to make sure this never happens again," he said

Snake bursts after gobbling gator

The predators died in the clash Enlarge Image

An unusual clash between a 6-foot (1.8m) alligator and a 13-foot (3.9m) python has left two of the deadliest predators dead in Florida's swamps.

The Burmese python tried to swallow its fearsome rival whole but then exploded.

The remains of the two giant reptiles were found by astonished rangers in the Everglades National Park.

The rangers say the find suggests that non-native Burmese pythons might even challenge alligators' leading position in the food chain in the swamps.

Clearly, if they can kill an alligator they can kill other species Prof Frank Mazzotti

The python's remains were found with the victim's tail protruding from its burst midsection. The head of the python was missing.

"Encounters like that are almost never seen in the wild... And here we are," Frank Mazzotti, a University of Florida wildlife professor, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.

"They were probably evenly matched in size. If the python got a good grip on the alligator before the alligator got a good grip on him, he could win," Professor Mazzotti said.

He said the alligator may have clawed at the python's stomach, leading it to burst.

"Clearly, if they can kill an alligator they can kill other species," Prof Mazzotti said.

He said that there had been four known encounters between the two species in the past. In the other cases, the alligator won or the battle was an apparent draw.

Burmese pythons - many of whom have been dumped by their owners - have thrived in the wet and hot climate of Florida's swamps over the past 20 years.