WHEN walking down a busy road in England, you wouldn't expect to come across an exotic animal typically found in Florida. 

But that's exactly what happened to officers at Avon and Somerset Police when they were on patrol in the Filton area of Gloucester Road.

Police officers spotted what they believed to be a collapsed man, but on closer inspection was actually a 4ft long alligator.

The creature belonged to a nearby reptile store owner who was taking it for a walk.

Writing on the police Facebook page, PC Mike commented that it was "not the sort of thing you see every day."

He explained: "While on patrol in Gloucester Road, we came across what we thought to be a collapsed male.

"When we stopped to offer assistance and first aid, we discovered it was actually a nearby reptile store owner walking his 4ft alligator."

The police later confirmed that the reptile was "a big softie".