A brave pet stared down a cobra that invaded a family's home to save its owners.

The kitten and a two-year-old girl were playing when the venomous serpent slithered through the front of a house in Saraburi province, Thailand, on July 9.

It stood guard and scared the snake to a corner until the adults realised what was happening and called the rescuers for help.

Footage shows a rescue volunteer removing an ice box in the corner of the house to reveal the 5ft-long cobra hiding underneath.

Father Chatuporn Kongthongdee, 22, said: ‘The cat did not show fear and stared down the cobra so that it could not get away.

‘My daughter ran inside the house and told us there was a snake.'

The rescuers caught the reptile that tried to escape, but they secured it quickly.

They used a metal hook and pulled it into an open space where it resisted and attempted to bite.

No one was hurt, and the cobra was released into the wild without injuries.

Researchers found that 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.