A dead man was cut from the stomach of a seven metre-long python.

The giant snake is believed to have swallowed the Indonesian man whole, leaving villagers with the grisly task of removing him from the animal’s belly.

Now, these gruesome photos appear to show the moment Akbar Salubiro was pulled from the reptile’s belly on a remote island.

The 25-year-old had set off for work harvesting palm oil on the island of West Sulawesi, Indonesia, on Sunday night.

But when he didn’t return home concerned friends and relatives began looking for him the next evening.

They found the python lying in Akbar’s back garden with a giant bulge in its stomach on Monday night.

Locals gathered round as one man used an 18-inch long hunting knife to slice open the serpent - and claim to have found Akbar's body inside.

Incredible footage shows the corpse being slowly removed from the killer reptile as the leathery skin is peeled away.

Neighbour Satriawan who knew Akbar said: “He was found in the location of the garden.

"Initially Akbar set out from his home to go to harvest palm, after not returning to his home people looked for him.’’

The shocking pictures are yet to be fully verified.

Local media reported that Akbar’s wife Munu was away at the time and only found out when pictures and video emerged in the news.

One village told local media they believed Akbar was attacked from behind.

Village secretary Salubiro Junaidi said: "People had heard cries from the palm grove the night before Akbar was found in the snake’s stomach.

"When the snake was captured, the boots Akbar was wearing were clearly visible in the stomach of the snake.

"Resident cut open the belly of the snake and Akbar was lifeless."

Reticulated pythons are a species found in South East Asia and are among the world's largest snake species.

The breed - which squeezes prey until it suffocates - has been responsible for several human deaths.