Terrified drivers slammed on their brakes after seeing a 13ft long python stretched across the road.

The killer snake had raided a chicken coop before slithering over the rural street in Saraburi, central Thailand, on October 28.

Shocked motorist Huahin Phromsook, 40, noticed the snake and stopped to called rescued workers to take it to safety.

He said: "I turned out of the lane and saw a snake sleeping in the road. It looked like it could be hurt if it stayed there.''

The volunteer snake handlers captured the reptile, that was suggested to weigh around 30 kilograms (70 lbs).

They believe it had ventured into the farm due to a shortage of food in the wild.

"The snake was quite big as it had eaten some of the chickens on the farm before it escaped,'' said Natthapong, one of the rescuers.

The snake was later taken into a sack before the team released it back into the deep jungle.