A wild monitor lizard escaping a dog tried to hide in a convenience store before it was caught.

The reptile was found by a pet pooch and was spooked by its barking so it fled into the entrance of the shop in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand on July 6.

Footage shows the 4ft-long monitor lizard in front of shelves and fridge trying to crawl away from rescuers who pinned it to the ground with a stick.

It was caught by the tail while the pooch stood guard nearby before being carried out of the establishment.

An onlooker who was buying from the store when the reptile rampaged through said: ‘Everyone panicked including the employees. The rescue team was called to help.'

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.