A SNAKE rescue has had to close its doors after high energy bills have left it struggling to cope.

Sue Coleman, known as Snakey Sue, is no longer taking in reptiles in need at her snake sanctuary in Main Road, Dovercourt.

She currently has 44 snakes to care for, which are housed in a converted barn at her home.

But rising energy costs mean she is unable to afford the heating, equipment, and food for any more.

She said: “Because my electricity bill is high to care for the snakes, I took the Government’s advice and changed suppliers.

“Over two years the different suppliers have created a nightmare for me.

“I’m currently paying £151 a month, plus £30 a month to pay off an old bill and I’ve now got a bill for £556 from my last supplier.

“It’s crazy.”

One supplier didn’t direct debit Mrs Coleman’s account, leaving her with an unexpected £400 bill, which she is still paying off at £30 a month.

Another didn’t release her gas contract, meaning she was being charged twice, an issue she says left her out of pocket despite some reimbursement.

She has now changed from Co-operative Energy to Sainsbury Energy after being told her bill would go up by £50 a month – a hike she can’t afford.

But she has now been left with an unexpected final bill of £556 for the last quarter.

“I am really worried, my pension is only £490 per month and for the last six months the work I do to fund the sanctuary has almost completely dried up,” she added.

“I had decided to stop rescuing and just care for the 44 that I have, but an elderly man knocked on my door and said he was going into warden assisted housing and had two cornsnakes and two young boa constrictors.

“And last week someone found a corn snake in a flower pot in their garden at Gwynne Road so I picked it up.

“I can cope with the cornsnakes as they don’t need so much heating but I have seven boa constrictors, social services called me about one of them living with someone who wasn’t supposed to have it another was from a person with mental health and drug issues.”

Co-operative Energy did not respond by the time of going to print.