SLTHERING snakes and slimy snails paid a creepy crawly visit to residents at Wantage Nursing Home.

Animal handling events company ZooLab brought the exotic menagerie to town on Friday afternoon.

Residents also got up close and personal with tarantulas, millipedes and even a rat.

Joy Towrie, 94, said: "It was lovely, I loved all the creatures."

Fellow resident Daphne Hallett, 86, said she enjoyed holding the snake.

She said: "At first I was apprehensive but I really liked holding the snake, it was lovely and shiny."

Albert Manley, 79, added: "Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the rat."

A trained ranger from the group was on hand throughout the interactive session to answer any of the residents’ questions and share interesting facts.

Nursing home activities assistant Wendy Pill added: "Animal-assisted therapy is so important to our residents, it's something they thoroughly enjoy as they genuinely love to see all the different creatures come and visit and not only that, they also find stroking and handling animals extremely therapeutic."

ZooLab says its "animal-assisted therapy" promote wellbeing and increase social participation, especially for people living with dementia.