A monitor lizard terrified patients after it was seenhiding in a hospital ceiling.

Doctors noticed the reptile's legs hanging down from above them in the surgery room in Pratum Thani, central Thailand last Tuesday (10/09) morning.

Patients fled into neighbouring rooms while panic-stricken medics called the emergency services for help.

Rescue workers arrived and had a lengthy struggle to catch the reptile before dragging it to the grand.

Amnart Sangsawang said it was harder than normal to catching the monitor lizard because of its awkward hiding place.

He said: "We only brought the snake catching equipment with us and the reptile had hidden well in the ceiling.

''We had to open the tiles and reached his tail by jumping up and grabbing it. It was quite an unusual place to mind a monitor lizard.''

Relieved medics praised the team for catching the 4ft long water monitor lizard.

Doctor Somchai Pootrakool said: ''Now the lizard has gone we can get back to work.''