An animal rescuer was electrocuted while removing a large python coiled among wires inside a switchboard.

The volunteers found the serpent still hiding inside the box when they responded to the property following a report from the owner in Nakhon Pathom province, Thailand on May 19.

Footage shows a team member using a pole with a hook to pull the creature out. He poked it a few times to probe whether the snake was aggressive.

But as the python refused to move out, he had to climb up the pile of materials and grab it with bare hands and felt a surge of electricity.

The rescuer said: ‘When the electricity was turned off, we proceeded to catch it but I felt the current running up my right arm. I quickly went away.'

The volunteer tried again, this time using a longer pole and successfully extracted the animal.

He said: ‘We were relieved the snake was not hurt. It could have been killed and the switchboard would be damaged as well.'

The snake was later released back into the wild after being caught.