An angry 12ft long king cobra was caught in a house after escaping from the owner's pet dog.

The venomous creature took shelter inside the residence after the fierce pooch attacked it when it slithered into the garden in Rayon, Thailand on March 15.

Homeowner Palida, 53, said she heard her dog barking while she was at her neighbour's house.

She went to investigate but was too spooked by the unknown invader, prompting her to call wildlife rescuers for assistance.

A team arrived to find the dog still barking and running around the house. When they opened the doors, they discovered a 10ft king cobra hiding in a room and nursing several bite marks from the protective canine.

It slithered over a Buddhist shrine, knocking down several items as it tried to flee into the undergrowth, but the rescuers managed to drag it onto the road.

Relieved Palida said: 'I'm scared of the snake comng back. I have had nightmares about it. Cobra can kill people.'

Animal handlers suspected the cobra was looking for a mate before being caught.

The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake and is endemic to Asia. It has a wide distribution across South and Southeast Asia.

King cobras are generally not aggressive, and will usually avoid humans. However, it will fiercely defend its eggs from potential intruders.