'Just the tip of the iceberg': Warning over snakes slipping into northern Europe 

Picture: David Hancock/AFP/ Getty Images

Invasive species including snakes and lizards are slipping unnoticed into northern Europe in vast shipments of cut flowers and potted plants, researchers have warned.

Continental European snakes, geckos and Italian wall lizards are among the animals making their way to the region in potted olive trees destined for gardens and green space, according to the study published on Friday in the journal Bioscience.