A brave local reached into a ditch with his bare hands to catch a massive python lurking in the muddy water.

A group of motorists parked on the roadside noticed the 15ft snake submerged in the waterway in Perlis, Malaysia.

This prompted one of them to capture it on November 25.

Footage taken by Norhalini Binti Sera shows the man on one knee leaning toward the water before extending his hand into the murky ditch.

He then yanked the predator out of the water and gripped its head while another rider helped him carry the large, reticulated python.

Norhalini said: 'They placed the snake into the sack and released it back to the wild.'

No one was injured from the encounter.

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.