When saleswoman Julie Overton was asked by her beautician to take part in a glamorous photo shoot, she was excited and flattered.

But she had to think twice after learning her companion in front of the camera would be...a 12-foot python.

Julie, who is a regular customer at the Artistic Nails & Beauty salon in Tong Street, says she feels "naked" without her false nails, fitted and decorated by nail artist Tina Rook.

When Tina dreamt up an eye catching 'snakeskin' design for a national contest, she asked Julie to model it -- with the real python for company.

But it wasn't all plain sailing.

The pair travelled to the Wild Thing exotic pets shop in Shipley, to borrow a snake from shop boss Barry Naylor.

But when they got there the creature was "dining", they were told - on a feathered chicken carcass.

The revolting image almost put Julie off the whole project.

But she was persuaded to go through with it, thanks to the help of shop assistants Michael Briggs and Chris Swaitek who were on hand throughout the three-hour shoot.

"I wanted Julie to do it because she has such long slender fingers," said

Tina.

"She wasn't very keen at first and it took her 45 minutes to actually touch the snake and pick it up.

"The first time we'd gone we were told it was having its lunch - half a chicken was stuck out of its mouth. It was quite disgusting.

"The second time they were brilliant with us. They bathed the snake especially for the photo and everything."

Julie, 32, who is a saleswoman for a Bradford computer company, said: "I could hear the snake breathing heavily.

"I was only afterwards they told me it was in fact hissing at me.

"Every time it moved I shut my eyes and hoped for the best."

Mr Naylor, who has more than 100 snakes at his Shipley shop, said the python, which doesn't have a name, was on sale for £120.

It needs a diet of raw chicken, pork and rats. "They are very nicely behaved," he said. "They just grow very big."

The photo shoot won first prize in a national contest organised by the trade magazine Professional Nails.

And as a result, the winning image of Julie and the python is the cover shot for the December/January edition.

Julie is pictured with shop staff Michael, left and Chris.