British woman bitten by snake during Cyprus birthday trip in intensive care

A British tourist spent five days in hospital after she was bitten by a five-foot venomous snake during a meditation session in Cyprus.

Sam West, from Shropshire, was left in intensive care after a blunt nosed viper gripped her leg as she celebrated her 40th birthday on April 3.

The bitten Brit has relied on a wheelchair to get around since she was discharged from hospital last Monday.

Recalling the encounter she told the BBC: “It quickly, before I had time to react, bit me just above my left ankle.

"I started to shake the snake off as I shouted that I had just been bitten by a snake.

"My leg was burning and throbbing, the pain was instantaneous."

Tour operator TUI told the broadcaster it was liaising "directly with the guest to provide our full support".

Ms West was on holiday with her wife Kate when she was bit at the Atlantica Aphrodite Hills hotel.

She said she was waiting to hear from her insurance company about when she would be able to return home, but was not expected to be fit to fly until Tuesday.

After four days in intensive care and one on another ward, Ms West was discharged to the hotel with medication and said she was paying €310 a night for a room with disabled-access.

The tourist added that the meditation activities had been moved to a dance studio since the incident happened, and the hotel had also called pest control twice.

But she warned that guests were still exploring the area near where the bite happened.

A TUI UK & Ireland spokesperson said it was "aware of an incident" at the hotel earlier this month adding the "safety of our customers is our highest priority".