<p>Public transport bosses in northwest England on Tuesday clarified the rules on face coverings after a bus passenger was spotted with a snake around his neck and mouth.</p>.<p>The commuter was spotted on a bus bound for Manchester on Monday but fellow passengers initially believed he was wearing a colourful face covering, the Manchester Evening News reported.</p>.<p>"At first I thought he had a really funky mask on, then he let it crawl around the hand rails," one witness was quoted as saying.</p>.<p>"No one was really bothered on the bus but a man behind took a video. It was definitely entertaining."</p>.<p>Photos of the man, dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans, showed what appeared to be a python coiled around his neck and face but he was not wearing a mask as required underneath.</p>.<p>The use of face coverings is mandatory on public transport in Britain, to prevent the close-contact spread of the coronavirus.</p>.<p>Some exceptions are allowed, such as for people with health conditions or young children.</p>.<p>A Transport for Greater Manchester spokesman said government guidance stipulated face coverings could be surgical masks, scarves or bandanas.</p>.<p>"While there is a small degree of interpretation that can be applied to this, we do not believe it extends to the use of snakeskin, especially when still attached to the snake," he added.</p>.<p>The UK government initially resisted the use of face masks in confined spaces such as shops as a preventative measure against the virus but changed its policy as the number of cases climbed.</p>.<p>The move sparked some opposition but not to the same extent as in the United States.</p>
<p>Public transport bosses in northwest England on Tuesday clarified the rules on face coverings after a bus passenger was spotted with a snake around his neck and mouth.</p>.<p>The commuter was spotted on a bus bound for Manchester on Monday but fellow passengers initially believed he was wearing a colourful face covering, the Manchester Evening News reported.</p>.<p>"At first I thought he had a really funky mask on, then he let it crawl around the hand rails," one witness was quoted as saying.</p>.<p>"No one was really bothered on the bus but a man behind took a video. It was definitely entertaining."</p>.<p>Photos of the man, dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans, showed what appeared to be a python coiled around his neck and face but he was not wearing a mask as required underneath.</p>.<p>The use of face coverings is mandatory on public transport in Britain, to prevent the close-contact spread of the coronavirus.</p>.<p>Some exceptions are allowed, such as for people with health conditions or young children.</p>.<p>A Transport for Greater Manchester spokesman said government guidance stipulated face coverings could be surgical masks, scarves or bandanas.</p>.<p>"While there is a small degree of interpretation that can be applied to this, we do not believe it extends to the use of snakeskin, especially when still attached to the snake," he added.</p>.<p>The UK government initially resisted the use of face masks in confined spaces such as shops as a preventative measure against the virus but changed its policy as the number of cases climbed.</p>.<p>The move sparked some opposition but not to the same extent as in the United States.</p>