This is the amusing moment a wild elephant stepped over a family's garden gate while searching for food in Thailand.

Footage shows the 7ft tall wild jumbo nicknamed Sib-lhor, which means 'ten-wheel truck' in the local language, taking a stroll across the residents' home in Chachoengsao province on October 5.

The clever elephant took care not to destroy the metal barrier, carefully lifting his legs over it instead.

Shocked owner Ning said: 'I woke up and saw an elephant had walked through my garden. When I watched the CCTV camera back I was amazed how big it was. But he was nimble and stepped over my garden gate like it was nothing.'

Sib-Ihor has a history of entering villagers' rice fields. Last March, it escaped the Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary where it was being kept to explore the surroundings.

Elephants are the national animal of Thailand. In the wild, they roam through the deep jungle and in the country's protected national parks but often encounter humans on roads and in villages.

However, they are protected by laws and killing them carries a maximum prison term of up to three years and a fine of 1,000 baht (25GBP).