A SNAKE was the sole survivor after a pet shop was destroyed by fire.
Firefighters were called to Waverley Pets and Aquatics, on Queen Street, Great Harwood, shortly after 8.30pm on Monday but were unable to save the shop’s stock which included a number of exotic parrots.
Shop owner Duncan Gregory also runs a carpet business from the next-door premises, which was also destroyed.
Mr Gregory, who appeared in the Observer in September after he helped a lost homing pigeon, said: "My whole business has been destroyed – everything is gone.
"I am unsure how many animals were in the shop but they have all been wiped out apart from a single snake.
"The Fire Brigade is still investigating how it started but I don’t think it was done on purpose."
Four fire engines battled the flames and firefighters used jets, breathing apparatus, a thermal imaging camera and breaking-in tools.
A spokesman for the fire service said: "The fire was well alight when our four pumps arrived at the scene and unfortunately we were unable to save all the animals in the shop."
