Snake swallower dies after viper bites his tongue during stunt causing fatal allergic reaction

 A snake-swallower died after a viper bit his tongue and caused a horrific allergic reaction.

Video shows the agriculture worker, aged 55, putting the viper in his mouth to perform a 'trick' for workmates in a watermelon field in Astrakhan region.

Reports say the man had twice before put the steppe viper further down his throat but on the third attempt, seen in the footage, the snake bit his tongue.

While the snake is poisonous, its bite is not usually lethal to humans.Frantic efforts by doctors at Kharabalinskiy district hospital failed to save him, according to Antrakhan 24.

Reports said snake-swallowing is a popular trick among locals.

News outlet Punkt-A confirmed via a local herpetologist that the snake was a steppe viper found among the stems of picked watermelons.

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Reports say the man had twice before put the steppe viper further down his throat but on the third attempt, seen in the footage (left and right), the snake bit his tongue

'The steppe viper is poisonous, but only insects can truly fear it,' said the report.

'For humans, the poison is not dangerous.'

The agricultural worker 'died solely from an allergic reaction similar to what may occur with a wasp sting'.

The report urged locals to refrain from swallowing snakes.

'You just should not try to swallow a snake or carry out any other experiments if you are not sure that it may end up in an unfavourable way for you.'