Strange-looking reptiles have taken up residence in a brand new shop which makes a tiny corner of Potters Bar look and sound like a jungle.

Snakes, lizards and scorpions are just a few of the residents at Paul's Reptile Den, a specialist family-run shop which opened last week in Barnet Road.

Shop owners Paul Messenger and his wife Maggi, 35, are animal lovers and reptile enthusiasts.

Their three children Donna, 17, Ashleigh, 16, and Rhys, five, have grown used to sharing their home in Waltham Abbey with more than 150 exotic animals and even have special enclosures for fruitbats and monkeys.

Their new shop sells all manner of creatures and the specialist equipment you need to keep them.

"There is quite a big market for them," said Mr Messenger. "People from all walks of life are interested in keeping reptiles and the shop has already created excitement. We are not going to have eight-foot pythons, boas or iguanas. Instead we are selling smaller-sized reptiles which can be easily handled."

After running another reptile shop in London for eight years, Mr Messenger spotted a gap in the market with the nearest reptile shop being in Enfield and decided to set up home in Potters Bar complete with jungle sounds and foliage.

He says people buying reptiles without fully appreciating their size and the care they need is a massive problem', which leaves sanctuaries full of unwanted animals once the novelty wears off.

"It's fine so long as people know what they are getting into," he said. "Everybody must buy a book and we give out free care sheets."

Mr Messenger expects snakes of the corn, king, milk and rat variety to be popular, as well as the many lizards and iguanadons on offer. But his personal favourite is the chameleon.

A baby corn snake can be yours for a relatively modest £45 but an exotic tortoise will set you back £250. To find out more visit www.paulsreptileden.co.uk or call 01707 660005.