A woman ran for her life after a 20ft long King Cobra reared up at while she was sitting in her living room.

Nunta Duangleang, 23, was eating with friends at her house when the venomous visitor slithered inside and disrupted the meal.

The beast leapt up at Nunta from under her sofa, causing chaos as the rubber plantation worker and her pals ran outside in Trang, southern Thailand.

Terrified Nunta, seen in the picture above, said it was the biggest snake she has ever seen in her life.

The mother-of-one said: ''The snake even flared its hood as high as my hips which scared us all. We ran out of the house in total panic.''

The cobra was coiling its robust body between cushions on her couch when the experienced snake catchers from Wang Wiset Rescue Unit came in to handle the situation.

Children can be heard screaming with excitement as the cobra is pulled from the building.

More than 500 villagers flocked the scene to see the gigantic poisonous serpent.

Many took photos of the snake, which spread its powerful jaws.

Sawai Keaowjeu, leader of the unit, said it was the biggest and heaviest snake his team has ever handled in more than 10 years.

He said: ''It took three of us to carry its whole body. This guy could weight 20 kilograms or more.

''He was not really in a good mood when we found him tucked in the couch. Luckily nobody was harmed.''

Rescuers stretched the cobra out to be measured before it was released the cobra back into the jungle several miles away.