A brave rescue team set out in the middle of the night to rescue a stray dog stranded on a steep cliff in Thailand.

Volunteers were called to Mount Phraya in Lopburi province after tourists pitching their tents at the spot for the night heard the pooch whimpering near the peak's viewing deck on November 26 .

They arrived at the scene bringing rappelling equipment, with the tourists guiding them towards the source of the sound.

As it was already dark, the team had trouble pinpointing the stranded animal's whereabouts.

They shone lights down the cliff's nooks and crannies before finally spotting the frightened stray lying on a narrow ledge next to a crag.

One of the rescuers lowered himself to pick up the canine, but it flinched away from his hands when he tried to carry it.

He had to spend several minutes petting and pacifying the dog before it let him attach a harness through which it was pulled up to safety.

The rescue operation took more than an hour due to poor visibility and the steep height of the cliff.

The team said the dog was a female around two years old, believed to have fallen down the cliff while roaming the area asking tourists for food.

They administered treatment on its wounded left hind leg before allowing it to run free into the wilderness.