A brave snake wrangler caught a large king cobra with his bare hands.

The volunteer received a call from residents about an 11ft (3m) reptile hiding in the laundry area at the back of a house in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

Footage shows the rescue team member gripping the serpent's head while trying to grab its tail.

He gestured for a resident to give him space before carrying the deadly animal on his own out into the street on April 4.

He said: 'We used a stick to poke the snake and lure it out. When it was out in the open, it became easier to catch.'

The reptile was unharmed and taken into a sack before they released into the wild.

The rescuer added: 'The cobra might have been looking for a shelter to hide from the hot weather. There were also small animals like rats and birds at the back of the house to eat.

'We advise residents to regularly check their surroundings and keep it tidy to prevent snakes from nesting.'

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.