Passing residents on a boat freed a snake stuck in a fishing net.

Chavalit Satthammasakul was scooping up trash in the canal with his family and pet cat when they noticed one of the fish cages shaking in Bangkok, Thailand on May 21.

The group paddled towards the object to check what it was but then saw the python struggling to escape instead.

Footage shows Chavalit using a knife to cut the net where the reptile had been caught. The anxious creature coiled around its rescuer's arms while he tried to loosen the cord with more cuts.

Chavalit said: ‘We were fishing for garbage that floated along the canal. I also wanted to show the beautiful surroundings to my cat but we saw the snake.

‘We felt sorry for the snake. Maybe it was only trying to check inside for some food but ended up trapped.'

The local eventually freed the creature and tossed it back into the water while the cat stood by, curious about what's happening.

The reticulated python is found throughout Southeast Asia, where they live in forests, swamps, canals and even in cities, causing them to come into conflict with humans. The species is one of the world's largest snakes and can eat humans, cats, dogs, birds, rats and other snakes.