Postcard from Durban: Manchester United stars play with giant snake called Fluffy on visit to safari park in South Africa.

Pre-season tours can be odd affairs - too much travel and too many sponsor commitments.

But Manchester United's players looked like they were having a blast on a visit to a South African safari park.

While Sir Alex Ferguson enjoyed a round of glof with old boys Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick at the at Zimbali Country Club in Durban, the rest of the squad posed for some fun pictures - including a giant snake!

Stars such as Rio Ferdinand, Antonio Valencia and Anderson showed they had no fear of a giant Boa constrictor called Fluffy.

Perhaps eager to impress his team-mates, youngster Robbie Brady was the first to volunteer to hold Fluffy before others joined him.

The visit to PheZulu Safari Park - that houses giraffes, zebras and wildebeests - offered the players a chance to unwind from their preparations for the new season.

The were later treated to a show by traditional African dancers - with the players happily posing with headwear and weapons.

Ferdinand later tweeted: 'Just left the hotel in Durban (what an amazing send off they gave us) flying to Cape Town for the next leg of our tour! Thanks - had an amazing time in Durban - safari was unbelievable and for those concerned I didn't hunt any lions....can some of u please lighten up!'

United's next match is against Ajax Cape Town on Saturday before their head to China on the latest leg of their tour.

There they will take on Didier Drogba's Shanghai Shenhua before a trip to Norway to face Valerenga.