This is the dramatic moment a monitor lizard tries to escape a wildlife team who were capturing it in a house in Thailand.

The massive reptile weighing 154lbs (70kg) had skittered through the gate of a shop in Samut Songkhram province, on February 15.

The terrified owner called the local reptile catchers for help.

However, upon arrival, the team had to call for reinforcement due to the sheer size of the lizard, which had retreated into the storage area of the shop.

Footage shows the volunteers tying a rope around the lizard's neck. But it later broke free from the restraints and ran into the shop to hide under the counter.

The seven officers cornered it and covered its eyes with a blindfold to keep it from escaping. They then bound its limbs with rope before hauling it out of the property.

Rescue volunteer Anuwat Phatcharittanan said: 'We received a report asking for help to catch a monitor lizard. At first, we sent only three people, but we had to send in more because of how big the lizard was. It was huge, and I had never seen a monitor lizard of that size before. It was also quite aggressive and strong, being able to break the door of the shop.

'We would like to warn the public that if they encounter a monitor lizard, they should notify the officers for the safety of their family and their pets.'

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.