http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...ecame-real.html
The toy snake that 'became real'
By Lucy Cockcroft
Last Updated: 8:52AM BST 20/05/2008
When four-year-old Leonard Yip was given a plastic toy snake he put it to good use, hiding it around the house in a running practical joke to scare his parents.
So when his father Mark Yip saw a 3ft long white creature slithering slowly along his lawn, he thought nothing of it. Until he realised Leonard was at school.
Mr Yip was amazed to discover that an escaped pet snake, which bore a striking resemblance to Leonard's toy, had found its way into his back garden in Paignton, Devon.
The 44-year-old ran into his house and rang an officer at the animal control department at his local council, who was able to confirm the reptile was an albino Californian king snake, and harmless to humans."