Sonic the snake is safely back in her tank today after spending three weeks hiding in her owner's car.

The slippery customer had eluded all attempts to be caught and her owner had driven around expecting the 4ft creature to appear at any time.

Sonic, a non-poisonous corn snake, slid out of her tank as she was being taken home from school after being shown to pupils.

Every time nursery teacher Yvonne Den Heijer stopped at traffic lights in her Ford Escort she was worried Sonic could drop on to the floor.

Friends of her son, Chris, 14, were warned as they were picked up from Longhill High School in Rottingdean, Brighton, to watch out for the hissing passenger.

Each night there was a torchlight search of the car in the driveway of their home in Saltdean Drive, Saltdean.

Yvonne said: "At one point we thought she had slithered away completely, but then we found droppings and we knew she was alive somewhere in the car.

"We put a frozen dead mouse in and left it on overnight, but even that did not tempt her out."

They looked in the boot, under the bonnet, took up the carpets and unscrewed panels. They contacted the PDSA, a pet shop and even the garage for advice - but nothing could be done.

Finally, after three weeks, they spotted her.

Yvonne said: "When Chris went to put the snake's heat pad in the car the other night he found Sonic curled up in the glove compartment."

Chris said: "We have no idea where she was. It is possible she was inside one of the car doors."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.