A wild monitor lizard was caught after climbing a shop front to try and reach the pet cats inside.

The large reptile was seen clinging to the metal bars on the property in Suphan Buri, central Thailand, on October 6.

Resident Rungwari Tripued, 63, was shocked when she looked outside and saw the beast staring back at her.

She called the emergency services as she was afraid that her pet cats could be eaten by the wild lizard.

The volunteers arrived at the shop and caught the animal with a long stick and lasso.

Footage shows how the fierce monitor lizard was seen trying to run away from the rescuers before its neck was trapped into the rope.

The team spent more ten minutes tackling the lizard before they released it in nearby woodland.

Rungrawi said she was preparing to open her shop in the morning when the wild animal frightened her by climbing on the shutters.

She said: "I screamed aloud when I was confronted by the big lizard. Luckily the rescue team could take it out of my place before it could kill my kittens."