A huge 13ft python was caught inside a woman's car engine in Thailand.

The colossal serpent had killed and devoured car owner Natrada's beloved pet cat before slithering into the vehicle parked in front of her home in Phitsanulok province on October 16.

Natrada called police and local snake catchers for help, and a team of officers carefully dragged the sated python out of the machinery. It was later released in a forest away from the neighbourhood.

Natrada said: 'I was shocked when I saw the python swallowing my pet cat. It liked to sleep under the car, so the snake was able to kill it easily.

'Our house is surrounded by tall grass and many trees where the python likely came from. I'm very shocked and disturbed about my cat being eaten by a snake.'

The reticulated python is found throughout Southeast Asia, where they live in forests, swamps, canals and even in cities, causing them to come into conflict with humans. The species is one of the world's largest snakes and can eat humans, cats, dogs, birds, rats and other snakes.