Rat-eating snakes that were last seen over 10,000 years ago in the UK have been found breeding in Wales.

Rat-eating reptiles have been found breeding in Wales.The Aesculapian snake, which can grow up to 6ft (1.8m), was last seen in the UK over 10,000 years ago.The reptiles were found near Mochdre, Conwy county in Wales.

According to PhD student Tom Major, the snakes are set to cross the A55 and head south.Major reportedly found about 200 snakes and said 70 of them were adults. Many of the juvenile snakes are expected to be eaten by buzzards, stoats and badgers.According to the BBC, Welsh Mountain Zoo's Robert Jackson imported the snakes into Wales in the 1960s. The reptiles then reportedly fled into the zoo grounds.

In a statement, Major said: "There is no sign of a wild expansion as far as I know given that they have not crossed the A55 but they are making a go of it in a habitat that does not suit any of our native species."

He added: "They have never been in Wales before. They were down in the southeast of England in Kent.

"That's where there was fossilised evidence of them. But they have been as far north as north Wales before."

Major said the snakes were living on Colwyn Bay's north-facing slopes. They have also been taking empty buildings and overgrown gardens as their homes.The PhD student explained that as long as the snakes can get underground to hibernate, they'll be fine.He said 'they go underground from October to April', and to find out more about the reptiles, radio trackers are being applied to them.