Terrified toddlers spotted a deadly cobra as it slithered across their home's driveway - then menacingly reared up at them.

One-year-old Gaelin noticed the 3ft long reptile while she was playing with her brother, three-year-old Katan, in Rayong province, Thailand, on August 2.

CCTV footage shows Gaelin excitedly walking along as she tried to chase away the birds when she stumbled upon the venomous serpent - which carries enough venom to kill an adult in under 30 seconds.

The shaken youngster backed away and burst into tears, alerting their mum to the snake while the worried little boy stood
behind her.

Relieved mum Wannipa said: ‘I heard them crying and I went outside. I saw the snake and immediately checked on my kids to see if they had been hurt but they were fine.'

Wannipa took the children inside and called neighbours for help to catch the cobra but it had already escaped when they began searching.

Researchers found that around 7,000 people are treated for snake bites each year in Thailand.

Suchai Suteparuk from the Division of Toxicology at Chulalongkorn University reported that 30 of those die, with cobras being the biggest killer.