A large python was found hiding inside a village water tank to escape from floods in Thailand.

The reptile scaled the 100ft tall water tower while fleeing from the deluge that struck the Pho Thong District of Ang Thong province last week.

It climbed atop the structure to hunt for birds, but fell into the elevated container, where it remained until villagers spotted it on October 5.

A rescuer climbed the ladder and discovered the snake coiled in a corner of the dark, damp space. He grabbed it with his bare hands and caught it within 20 minutes.

He then turned it over to his colleague perched halfway along the ladder as it was too big to safely carry all the way down.

One of the volunteers, Waratha Taphianthong, said: 'Catching this python was tough because we had to risk ourselves by climbing up the tall ladder.'

The beast was later released into nature.

The reticulated python is found throughout Southeast Asia, where they live in forests, swamps, canals and even in cities, causing them to come into conflict with humans. The species is one of the world's largest snakes and can eat humans, cats, dogs, birds, rats and other snakes.