A monitor lizard was spotted crawling over the roof of a family's home.

The 3ft-long reptile climbed up from the tree and was discovered after making noises on the iron sheets in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, on May 28.

Footage shows the creature slowly moving along the structure while the residents watch it from below. It went to the edge of the roof and tried to hide away from the onlookers.

However, it was eventually scared away and climbed down on its own before escaping the property.

Resident Somsak said: ‘We thought the cat was crying about a rat or something but then it turned out to be a lizard.'

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.