Shock for motorist after unsettling note left on car’s windshield

A Sydney driver found a crowd around his vehicle — and an unsettling note — when he returned to his car after shopping.

A driver has had the fright of his life after finding a note pinned under his car’s windshield wipers.

David Mantellini was shopping in the Sydney beachside suburb of Manly last Monday when he found a crowd of people milling around his Mazda.

A handwritten note left on his windshield explained why.

“Hi car owner!” it began, “there is a python in your front left wheel. The jewellers opposite are trying to contact Wildlife Rescue”.

The unsettling note left on David Mantellini's windshield on Monday.

“Thanks!” it ended cheerfully.

Looking down, David found the reptilian culprit poking out of his car’s front passenger side hub cap.

But he was also in a hurry: David’s wife Nicola had given birth to their second child Olivia just five days earlier, and she had only been discharged from hospital that morning.

Mr Mantellini was on his way to pick up his eldest daughter, Luna, before introducing her to her new baby sister when David was beset by the serpent.

“He was faced with the dilemma of waiting for animal rescue or heading off to collect our daughter,” Ms Mantellini told Nine News.

The serpent had wrapped itself around the front passenger side wheel of David's car.

“Quick-thinking locals helped him out, with the nearby sushi restaurant taking the car key until police arrived.

“Another lady bundled our car seat into her car so the toddler pick-up and new baby intro could go ahead as planned.”

Wildlife authorities eventually arrived and removed the snake, believed to be a diamond python, before releasing it at nearby North Head National Park.

“The snake was safely removed, and the two sisters had a beautiful first meeting and it was sushi for dinner,” Nicola said.

“But not quite the day we had expected.”