Venomous snake attack leaves eight-year-old 'traumatised'

Jake Closier, from north west London, was visiting Hemsby for his Easter holiday with his family on Tuesday.

While visiting the beach, Jake fell over when he was running by the sand dunes. Immediately, Jake's finger was bitten by an adder hidden in the long grass.

August is among peak adder spotting months and people are being asked to be mindful when in their territory (Image: Sophie Closier)

After seeing the boy's hand turn purple, Jake's parents went into "fight or flight mode" and Googled what to do, before rushing to houses nearby for help.

His mother, Sophie Closier, 32, said: "Straightaway, we knocked on the nearest house to call for an ambulance, but they drove us to the hospital without hesitation."

Eight-year-old Jake Closier's finger began to swell after being bitten by a venomous adder in Hemsby. (Image: Sophie Closier)

While at James Paget University Hospital, Jake was given a drip containing anti-venom, but symptoms of nausea and swelling to his right arm persisted.

"Jake almost went into anaphylactic shock," Mrs Closier said. "His veins shrunk because of the venom and he was throwing up."

"The doctor said to us that we were lucky to get there when we did as Jake could have had lasting tissue damage and even organ failure," Mrs Closier said.

"He was pretty ill for the rest of the day. He was in a lot of pain and his whole hand went about five times the size and his arm went purple up to the armpit."

Eight-year-old Jake Closier's finger began to swell after being bitten by a venomous adder in Hesmby. (Image: Sophie Closier)

Mrs Closier said the team at the Paget "were brilliant".

She added: "They save my son's life, they saved his arm and they saved his finger. I can't praise them more."

Jake began feeling better the following day, but the event has left him a "nervous wreck", his mother said.

"For the rest of the holiday, Jake wouldn't walk on the grass, he wouldn't touch anything and he's waking up in the middle of the night with nightmares."

Jake Closier (pictured before the family's trip to Hemsby) now has nightmares following the snake attack on Hemsby Beach. (Image: Sophie Closier)

The family finished their holiday early after the snake attack had left Jake "traumatised".

Mrs Closier said she had no idea there were venomous snakes in the UK and more needs to be done to inform residents and holidaymakers.

Not only that, but she was surprised there were no signs in the area warning people of the dangers of adders.

"People need to be aware that there is a serious threat to life with these adders."