This is the terrifying moment an eerie sewer creature poked its head through a family's toilet.

Tong Mekha discovered the reptile submerged in the water inside the toilet bowl in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 26.

Footage shows the animal emerging from the pipe, with bubbles rising from the water as it breathed.

Tong said: 'It was a monitor lizard, but we couldn't catch it because it disappeared.'

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.