Rescuers had a two-hour tug-of-war with a 12ft-long PYTHON after it slithered up an electricity POST.

The stubborn serpent coiled round the concrete pillar as it stalked birds perching on live cables.

Terrified locals spotted the deadly reptile and feared it could cause an electrical explosion - cutting the power to their homes in Chachoengsao, Thailand.

But when vets arrived they struggled to catch the snake even after one man lassoed its neck and two others battered it with long extendable sticks.

Eventually after arriving at 9am and turning off the power supply they used a cherry picker to pounce on the beast and grab it by the throat last Friday morning at 11am.

Footage shows the tussle between rescuers and the snake as they desperately try yank it free from its position.

Onlooker Somchai Somboon, 45, who watched the battle unfold, said: ‘’I was watching the TV and my wife told me there was a snake outside. She wanted me to do something about it and I said ‘no’ and called for help.

‘’The danger was that it could have have caused an explosion and fire. The snake liked it up there and didn’t want to come down.’'

Rescuers from Bangwuakanarak council carried the python to the ground and stuffed it into a sack. It was then released into the undergrowth several miles away and not near any homes.