A hero rider saved a catfish he found suffocating in the middle of a busy road.

Aditep Satthong was on his way home from work when he noticed the 12-inch-long river creature on a highway in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, on January 12.

The animal was choking as it struggled to breathe out of the water, so Aditep pulled over to pick it up and release it back to its home.

Footage shows the lone fish lying on the concrete before Aditep ran up to scoop it up.

The rider said: ‘I don't know how it reached the road. Maybe someone fished it from the river, but it fell along the way.'

The creature swiftly swam away when it was tossed back to its habitat.

Aditep added: ‘I hope the fish lives a long and safe life. People should be more responsible with their actions.'