A German tourist was terrified by a huge monitor lizard in his hotel swimming pool.

Holidaymaker Attila Ferenc was strolling in the garden when she noticed the 4ft-long reptile gliding in the water in Phang-nga province, southern Thailand on March 26.

Footage shows the godzilla-like animal paddling across the pool. After the quick dip, it climbed up the edge and slowly crawled into the bushes.

Attila said: ‘I didn't expect to find a monitor lizard in the hotel pool.'

Asian water monitor lizards normally live in canals, swamps, sewers and ponds in cities in Thailand. They feed on fish, snakes, frogs and scraps of food left by humans.

The reptiles are aggressive when threatened and have a mildly venomous bite which sometimes carries harmful bacteria. The Godzilla-like reptiles are also a protected species in the country so their population thrives.