A horrified pensioner bit a python to free himself when he woke up to find the reptile wrapped around his leg.

Security guard Sarayuth Malachan, 68, was napping at his home in Samut Prakan province, Thailand, when he felt a sharp pain in his ankle on August 21.

He looked down and was shocked to see a large reticulated python wrapped around his leg with its fangs buried in his flesh. With no one answering his calls for help, the man tried to wrestle himself free.

However, the snake was trying to kill Sarayuth by slowly crushing him, and with no way to remove the serpent, the elderly ban sank its teeth into its leathery skin as hard as he could.

Incredibly, the bite loosened the snake's constriction long enough for Sarayuth to escape and grab its head. He then hauled the python outside and with the help of locals, dragged it to the nearby Bang Bo District Police Station to file a report.

Upon his arrival, the cops scattered in the office, terrified by the sheer size of the serpent. They called reptile handlers to properly dispose of the beast.

Meanwhile, Sarayuth, whose leg was wounded with multiple bite marks, was taken to the Bang Bo Hospital for treatment.

He said: 'I keep chickens at the back of the room, which might have attracted the python.

'When the snake attacked me, I tried to shout for someone outside to help but no one heard. I had no choice but to fight it because its grip was so strong, I thought I was about to lose my leg.

'I was so desperate that I even bit it, but it worked and I was able to break free. It felt like I was going to die while fighting the python.'

Somchai Siharan, a volunteer of the Ruamkatanyu Foundation rescue crew, warned locals not to try catching snakes themselves, especially if they have no experience.

He said: 'It is not advisable to catch snakes yourself as it can be too dangerous, whether it's a venomous or non-venomous species. In this case, the man was lucky that he woke up and was able to deal with this python.'

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.