This snake would be at home in the East End - he was seen swallowing an entire EEL.

The one-metre long dog-toothed cat snake caught the eel in a puddle last Wednesday (25/07) night.

It took two hours for the nocturnal reptile to swallow the entire creature - also a popular dish in London since the 18th century.

Nong Jeerawut captured the scene after heavy rain in her back garden in Chanthaburi, Thailand.

She said: ''We have a lot of lizards and snakes in the wild but I've never seen anything like this.

''There was a big struggle and it took the snake two hours to completely swallow the eel. I think the eel had come out after the rain and it was lost.

''It was a very interesting sight to watch. The snake suffocated the eel first then ate it. It was a male dog-toothed cat snake.

''I have eating tried eels before but I don't like them. They don't taste as good as I thought they would.

''This snake definitely enjoyed eating the eel.''

Jellied eels were first sold in London in the 18th century having been caught along the banks of the Thames. They were a popular and nutritious dish often ate with pie and mashed potatoes and can still be bought to this day at various markets in the capital.