This is the terrifying moment a deadly snake escaped from its cage and slithered into a sleeping paramedic's bed.

The Banded krait had been caught at a nearby home before being taken to the rescue centre in Phitsanulok, northern Thailand, on October 17.

Officers held the snake overnight in a cage and planned to release it several miles away the next morning.

However, the reptile broke free and slithered over the tiled floor before moving onto the mattress of one of the staff.

It slithered under the bed sheets before the rescuer felt something tickling his backside, woke up and jumped off his mat.

His colleague sleeping on the other side heard him yell and rushed over to help.

They turned on the light and used a catching rod to capture the snake again before placing it in a more secure bag.

No one was harmed by the snake which was released immediately into the woods later that morning before it had a chance to escape again.

Speaking after, one of the rescuers said that the snake was captured from a resident's house in the evening so they let it stay in the centre overnight until it escaped.

He said: "We could have been bitten if my colleague did not wake up. Perhaps it was trying to find who caught it earlier."

The Banded krait is venomous and can kill humans. However, bites are rare as they are shy and avoid human interaction.

The snakes are usually found in India and Southeast Asia. They are more active in the night but are not aggressive even when provoked.