A snake in the Australian state of New South Wales has had a lucky escape after a sneaky snack led to emergency stomach surgery.

The 80-cm (32-inch) carpet python mistook golf balls - left by a couple in their chicken coop to encourage hens to lay - for eggs, and ate four of them.

The couple took the python to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary where vets decided that the snake had no chance of passing the balls.

Vets operated on the snake, making an incision through which the golf balls were successfully removed.

Vets say the snake, nicknamed Augusta after the US golf course, is making a full recovery and will be returned to the wild.

Source: news.bbc.co.uk