Deadly gigantic 8-inch giant African SNAILS are abandoned at busy London bus stop
- The giant African land snails were spotted near the London Bridge railway line
- They were left in a cardboard box at a bus stop before escaping
- Snail species can carry deadly parasites and cause meningitis in humans
- The potentially deadly duo has been rescued and awaits a new home
Giant deadly snails have been discovered making their way through a busy street in the middle of the British capital.
The monstrous 8-inch African land snails were spotted on the sidewalk in London near London Bridge station after escaping from a cardboard box.
The creatures had been dumped in the lettuce-filled cardboard box at a bus stop before escaping.
Giant African land snails can carry potentially deadly parasites and can transmit the rat lungworm parasite that can cause deadly meningitis in humans.
The creatures had been dumped in the lettuce-filled cardboard box at a bus stop before escaping (Stock Image)
The species, which feed almost constantly, are also considered one of the most dangerous pests in agriculture and are known to eat agricultural crops including cocoa, peanuts, bananas and cauliflower.
In the US, officials have been forced to track down the creatures in Florida after the species began to take over the New Port Richey area.
More than 1,000 of the snails have been trapped in the area since June 23.
In London, the snails were noticed by Jamie-Lee McEvoy, who said they were “as big as” [his] poor.’
“I thought I saw things,” the 20-year-old told The sun. “Everyone wondered where they came from. But no one knew what to do or wanted to touch them.’
The huge snails were collected at London Bridge by wildlife volunteer Beth Crivelli, who took the pair home in a damp towel.
“They live with me in a well-sealed box until I can find someone to adopt them,” she said.
The species, which feeds almost constantly, is also considered one of the most dangerous pests in agriculture
Giant African land snails can carry potentially deadly parasites and can transmit the rat lungworm parasite that can cause deadly meningitis in humans
“They would have died crawling the streets in this heat.”
The country prepares for the hottest day on record with the With Office predicting temperatures of 106F or 41C. which will see temperatures reach their highest levels next week amid a red weather warning.
The unprecedented weather warning states there is an 80 percent chance that temperatures will surpass the current record of 101.7F in 2019 in Cambridge.
Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said there is a 50 per cent chance of temperatures reaching 40C somewhere in the UK, likely along the A1 corridor.
The UK Health Security Agency has raised its heat warning from level three to level four – a ‘national emergency’.
Level four is reached ‘when a heat wave is so severe and/or prolonged that its effects extend beyond the health and social care system…. At this level, illness and death can occur in fit and healthy people, not just gifted individuals. risk groups,” it read.