An injured monkey was rescued after it was electrocuted while searching for food.

The hapless macaque was swaying on power lines when it caught a live wire and dropped to the ground at a neighbourhood in Lopburi province, Thailand on August 30.

Despite a bleeding wound, the seven-year-old primate escaped villagers who were trying to help it until it was eventually caught days after on September 3 and put in a cage while waiting for animal rescuers.

Vets from the local wildlife centre then arrived in the area to treat the injured monkey which had to be amputated due to its severe burn wounds.

Village officer Suthee Yaimak who helped save the monkey said: ‘When we found the monkey, it was already starving and exhausted. We were relieved we found it before it died.

‘We gave the monkey some food and water until the veterinarians arrived to help us as we did not know what to do with its wounds.’

As the burn wounds had festered, vets had to amputate the animal’s arm in a medical procedure that lasted an hour so they could save its life.

The macaque is still recovering at the clinic after the procedure and would be sent to the local wildlife centre to rehabilitate once its condition improved.

Lopburi, around 95 miles north of the capital Bangkok, has a large population of wild monkeys that roam the streets and buildings. Locals believe they are lucky and pay respect to them with a festival every year.

However, the monkeys have often gone hungry and become increasingly aggressive since the pandemic started with tourists were unable to visit the country to feed the animals.