A 10ft-long python sparked panic after it was seen crawling on the roof of a Buddhist temple in Thailand.

Monks noticed the reptile coiled on a beam around 50ft above the ground in Kamphaeng Phet province on November 24.

One monk said they believe that the snake may have been drawn to wild birds perched on the high roof.

He said: ''We were shocked to find a python here and even more surprised that it was so high above the ground. We believed it might have climbed up to eat the birds that were on the roof.''

The monks tried not to disturb the reptile amid fears it could escape into narrow holes in the roof. Instead, immediately called the local reptile handlers for help.

When the rescue team arrived, the snake had gone up to the roof of the temple so they had to use a crane truck to lift them up.

The team cornered the snake and tried to escape into the gap between the tiles but one of the men had grabbed it by its tail.

The rescue operation lasted for almost an hour as the team had difficulty accessing the high roof.

It was brought down and placed inside a sack before the team left with the snake to release later into the wild.