Snake attack on British beach leaves man in hospital

A man was airlifted to hospital today after he was bitten three times by a snake on a British beach.

The snake, believed to be an adder, attacked the 31-year-old while he was at Caswell Bay, Gower, in south-west Wales.

Swansea Coastguard said they received a call from lifeguards on the beach just after 2.30pm.

A spokesman said: "We had a report of a gentleman bitten three times by a possible adder.

"We tasked Mumbles Coastguard Rescue Team who assisted the casualty and stabilised him and walked him out from his precarious position on a cliff path.

"They requested helicopter assistance and he was taken to Morriston Hospital, in Swansea."

The man was said to be "weak, but conscious and breathing" when he left the scene.