This is the moment a rescue team smashed a concrete walkway to capture an 18ft python near a convenience store.

Wildlife officers received a distressed call from a local about the reticulated python hiding underground near the shop in Phuket, Thailand.

Footage shows a group of men demolishing the surface, revealing the massive snake inside on July 7.

The team can be seen using a metal hook to pin down its head before grabbing it with their bare hands.

The reptile was then placed inside a sack for later release into the wild.

Pythons are non-venomous constrictors known for ambushing their prey and wrapping around it to suffocate it.

These snakes often wander into residential areas in search of food, especially during the hot season when their natural habitats are disturbed.