Briton sets world record by spending 114 days with snakes: Report

LONDON: A British man is said to havecreated a new world record by spending 114 days in a tiny room with 40 dangeroussnakes, including three snouted cobras. According to 'The Sun',45-year-old David Jones, a professional carpenter, has spent four months lockedin the 5m x 4m sealed room with two black mambas, two green mambas, sevenbloomsang, 27 puff adders and the three cobras. He has lived, sleptand eaten in the deadly enclosure since May, surpassing the current 113 dayworld record today. He plans to leave the enclosure next week. "Itsgreat to beat the record today. 114 days is a new world record. It's something Ihave wanted to do for a long, long time. It's not sinking in that I am almostthere yet and I am just trying to stay calm and alive. "It's justtaught me so much about snakes and I have even more respect for them thanbefore," David said. In fact, his four month adventure has madeDavid the only European, non-snake handler to hold the world record for livingcontinuously with dangerous snakes. Previous record holder, SouthAfrican Natie Swart, was bitten three times, twice by puff adders and once by asnouted cobra in 2009. He survived but was left with permanent damage to hisleg. David said: "I haven't been bitten yet but I have had a coupleof close shaves. I was mistaken for dinner by a black mamba, who sat in my lap,I looked down and saw she was ready to strike. So I just moved her very slowly,and very calmly, if I screamed, I'd have been bitten." David has hada life long love affair with snakes, ever since he kept them as a boy. Hisfour-year-old son Toby looks set to follow in his dad's footsteps and is beggingfor a snake of his own, while wife Jane thinks he's mad. But hesaid: "She's still talking to me. Toby thinks it's cool and I'm missing themlots. I want to show them that snakes aren't vicious, you can live with them. Ialready loved snakes but I've even more admiration for them now." Heeven manages to forgive them when he finds them sitting on his toilet, in themiddle of the night. "I just use a hook and gently lift them off. But it can bebit surprising to find a Cobra on the loo," he said.