A monitor lizard was caught sheltering from the rain inside a car engine in Thailand.

The reptile scampered into a restaurant after a storm but was chased out by the owner before scampering into the pavement in Satun province on April 27.

The frantic animal was looking for a hiding place until it saw a car parked nearby and began climbing into the vehicle’s engine.

Theeraphon Pholrak called the animal rescuers for help when onlookers informed him that the lizard had been hiding inside the car and refused to come out.

He said: ‘I did not know that the animal was inside until the people told me. The reptile was small so it could fit into the deeper spaces. I was worried that it would be stuck inside.’

When the rescuers arrived, they searched for the animal inside but it appeared to be scared and tucked itself deep into the car to hide from people.

However, its tail poked out of a hole so the volunteers were able to gently pull it out after almost half an hour of searching.

The animal was removed from the car and its mouth was tied with tape before being placed in a sack so the rescuers could transport it back to the wild.