A giant 45lb salamander was rescued from beneath the rubble of a house during a demolition.

Locals saved the 4ft amphibian after finding it trapped under the old building near Dalong Cave in Jishou, China, on February 27.

Footage shows kindhearted residents lifting the massive creature using a pole net before carefully placing it in a steel basin.

They then reportedly released it into a nearby river.

Local media reported that the giant salamander may have been left behind in the house set for demolition.

Dalong Cave, a popular scenic spot featuring waterfalls, is located near a river where the amphibian was found.

Giant salamanders, belonging to the Cryptobranchidae family, are among the world's largest living amphibians. Native to Japan, China, and the United States, they are fully aquatic creatures.