A horrified holidaymaker fled in terror when they found a 4ft-long snake slithering out of their hotel toilet.

The huge snake, believed to be an escaped pet, appeared at the hotel in Vienna, Austria. Pictures taken by reptile experts, called in by hotel staff, show it trying to slide back down the S bend.

And it was not until rescuers from Tierschutz Austria managed to pull the snake out that they were able to identify it as a kingsnake.

Despite being non-venomous the species can still deliver painful bite. The constrictor is found in its natural habitat throughout North America and Mexico.

A video taken by staff from Tierschutz Austria shows the snake just before it was popped into a tank while they waited for its owner to come forward.

Tierschutz Austria head Stephan Scheidl said: 'When we got there, only its tail was visible. We therefore could not be sure whether it was a venomous type.

'The effort was tricky as the snake disappeared in the drain several times.'

Scheidl and his team eventually saved the reptile and took it to their refuge in Voesendorf near Vienna, local media reported on November 2.

Its owner has 30 days to collect it and after that, the refuge will put it up for adoption.

Scheidl added: 'This type is not native to Austria. We therefore strongly assume that it's a pet that has been abandoned or lost.'