A Thai housewife was left terrified after an enormous monitor lizard crawled into her garden.

Jansom Panya, 65, was taking dirty dishes to her outdoor kitchen when she spotted the 10ft Godzilla-like creature scampering through the tall grass in Lampang, on May 21.

The grandmother screamed and fled into her home before calling reptile catchers for help.

A team later arrived and found the monitor lizard lounging behind a cluster of stalky plants. They grabbed it with gloved hands and bound its mouth and limbs with tape.

Relieved Jansom said: 'I was about to wash the dishes when I heard something rustling nearby. I turned my head and was shocked to find the lizard darting through my garden. I think it was chasing after something.'

The reptile catchers said the lizard weighed around 30 kilos (66 lbs). It was later freed into its natural habitat away from the neighbourhood.

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.