A father-of-two was left fighting for his life after he was bitten by an adder whilst enjoying the sunshine with his family on Hounslow Heath on Saturday (April 8).

27-year-old Josh Rose of Powder Mill Lane in Twickenham said the snake was around 2ft long.

Talking on ITV's This Morning , on Thursday (April 13), Mr Rose said: "I just thought it was going to be a normal picnic really, because the weather was nice so we thought we'd go out and we just lay the blanket out and I heard the leaves and the grass moving and I turned my head to the side and I just saw it going up the ground."

Josh Rose was enjoying a picnic with his family

It was crawling into the storage compartment of his two-year-old son Sebastian’s pram, and when Mr Rose went to hit it away, the snake struck.

Mr Rose said: "I didn't think it would be venomous or anything, in my head I just thought, get it away and it just turned and bit me"

The adder is the only venomous snake in the UK

The 27-year-old then went into anaphylactic shock, he adds: "I just couldn't walk and I was sweating really bad and I started being violently sick."

Mr Rose had to be carried to the entrance of the park in the pram by his brother-in-law and a passing dog walker.

Mr Rose with his two sons

After arriving at the park, an ambulance took Mr Rose to West Middlesex Hospital and provided him with anti-venom.

Mr Rose was taken to intensive care upon his arrival to hospital, but was allowed home 24 hours later.

The adder is the only venomous snake in the UK, they can grow up to 3ft long and can live for 15 years.

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