def get_vcf_samples(path):
    """
    Fetch sample names from a VCF file
    """
    with open(path, 'r') as vcf_file:
        for line in vcf_file:
            if line.startswith('##'):
                continue

            if line.startswith('#'):
                return line.strip().split('\t')[9:]

            raise ValueError(('Reached a line not starting with # before '
                              'finding the header line, which should start with '
                              'a single #'))