A shocked woman found a python eating a monitor lizard in her back garden.

Ying Ancharat noticed the 10ft-long snake coiled around the reptile in Samut Prakan province, Thailand on March 9.

The stunned woman watched the gruesome scene as the snake locked the chubby lizard in a tight grip while the lizard struck back by sinking its fangs into the python's face.

Ying called animal rescuers to handle the reptiles, but the snake had gone away before the team could arrive. It was not able to finish its meal and left the lizard on the property but Ying said it could return and take its food later.

The resident said: 'This is not the first time the python is on my property. I called the snake wrangler to get rid of it two to three times before but it always return.

'It left the lizard in my house but I know it would return again to take its food. I'm just not sure when. Maybe it has a nest somewhere here, we have quite a spacious garden.'

Rescuers tried searching for the snake that fled the scene but without success. They advised Ying to call again right away once the snake returned.

The dead monitor lizard was removed from the property and buried. No one else was reported hurt in the incident.