Worried locals caught a crocodile lurking in a village pond fearing the beast might attack residents.

Animal handlers were called after passers-by spotted the creature floating in a roadside swamp in Ang Thong province, Thailand, on November 3.

Since the croc's habitat lay near a residential area, townsfolk wanted it captured before it could scurry off and cause harm.

A team of volunteers first surveyed the foliage-covered pond, which had an area of approximately 400 square metres. They also spotted the reptile emerging menacingly from the water to observe them periodically.

To expedite the operation, they pumped water from the pond before rowing through the water to wrangle the fearsome predator.

The rescuers found it camouflaged among rafts of aquatic plants and used a noose to subdue it and haul it onboard.

The crocodile was around 4.3 feet long. Its mouth and legs were bound before it was placed into a sack to be transferred to an animal centre in Nakhon Sawan province.

A volunteer named Weerapol said: ‘The villagers believe there is another crocodile hiding in the swamp that is much bigger. We will monitor the area to ensure people's safety.'