An Australian holidaymaker claimed he spent three days in hospital after being bitten by a venomous snake in Cornwall.

Chris Laing, 37, lives in Melbourne where he has avoided Australia's various dangerous animals despite being an experienced bush walker.

But after travelling thousands of miles to the UK he had to be rushed for emergency treatment when bitten by an adder.

Mr Laing was raised in St Just, Cornwall and moved to Australia in 2010.

During a return to his Cornish family he was ironically struck by the venomous reptile near their home on August 17.

Australian Chris Laing, 37, (pictured) spent three days in hospital after being bitten by a venomous snake in Cornwall

During his trip to the UK he had to be rushed for emergency treatment after he was bitten by an adder (pictured)

Mr Laing in hospital with his Australian friend who he was on the walk with when bitten

Mr Laing felt a sharp sting in his right ankle (pictured swollen). When he looked down he was shocked to see an adder snake latched on to him

Mr Laing, who has avoided being bitten by a snake for 13 years in Australia, says the ordeal's 'irony has not been lost' on him.

'Most people don't even think we have venomous snakes outside of Oz so it was funny. The irony wasn't lost on any of us,' he said.

'I don't think I stepped on it. I've done a fair bit of bush walking out in Australia so my eyes are pretty well trained to looking at the path ahead.

'I had a sensation come from the right hand side. I thought it was a wasp or a bee. I couldn't believe it when I saw the snake.'

Mr Laing had been walking along the coastal path between Lands End and St Just with his friend from Australia who had come to visit when he was bitten.

He had been for a swim near Porth Nanven and was continuing on the walk when things took an unexpected turn.

The Smart Cities program manager felt a sharp sting in his right ankle. When he looked down he was shocked to see an adder snake latched on to him.

He eventually managed to kick the snake off of himself, but noticed the snake tried to lunge a second for him.

'It was bizarre behaviour from the snake. Usually they nip and retreat so I think it must have been protecting a nest,' he said.

He had been walking along the coastal path between Lands End and St Just with his friend from Australia

Mr Laing in hospital with his girlfriend after being bitten by the venomous reptile

He had been for a swim near Porth Nanven and was continuing on the walk when things took an unexpected turn

He said: 'Most people don't even think we have venomous snakes outside of Oz so it was funny. The irony wasn't lost on any of us'

'I was wearing running socks with a lot of elastic in them so I also think it might have been stuck in there.

'That means I might have gotten a few doses of the venom in me.'

He added: 'When you get bitten by a snake the advice is the stay calm, immobilise where you were bitten and to not move so the venom doesn't pump around your body.

'I had to walk to the road thought so that probably didn't help.'

After snapping a photo of the serpent, his friend helped Mr Laing up to the nearest road where they thankfully met a man with a car who drove him back to St Just.

His leg soon began to tingle and go numb, so after calling 111 he was driven an hour away to the Royal Cornwall Hospital by his girlfriend.

While walking to the A&E entrance, Mr Laing collapsed. He remained in hospital until Sunday after two separate doses of anti-venom and being monitored for several days.

'My leg was ballooning. The swelling was huge and the anti-venom made me feel sick,' he said.

'The staff at the Royal Cornwall Hospital were fantastic and really looked after me.

'I couldn't believe I had been bitten by a venomous snake here of all places.

'When I told my family my Australian uncle replied straight away - he thought I was joking.'