This is the dramatic moment a python was found swallowing a family's pet dog in Thailand.

The 11ft snake crushed the canine to death before devouring it near a hotel in Khon Kaen province, on November 29.

Its body grotesquely swollen from the kill, the serpent then slithered into nearby bushes, where terrified villagers found it curled up among twigs and shrubs.

Snake catchers arrived at the scene following reports about the mammoth reptile, which spooked residents days earlier when it was seen crossing the road.

Footage shows officers prising the beast from the dense undergrowth as frightened onlookers screamed due to its size. Several volunteers were knocked down while trying to drag the python out into the open.

The sluggish snake was unable to escape, but bared its fangs in an attempt to scare them off.

It took 10 people to subdue the python, whose belly was still swollen from its last meal.

Firefighter Sorot Wongsri, 40, said: 'While we were hauling away the snake, we saw it regurgitate its prey - a fairly large brown dog that had only been recently swallowed. It was clear the animal had been strangled before being eaten.

'This is the largest snake I've captured. With its size, it's not surprising that it could kill a dog.'

The python was sealed in a sack and later released in a forest away from the area.

The reticulated python is found throughout Southeast Asia, where they live in forests, swamps, canals and even in cities, causing them to come into conflict with humans. The species is one of the world's largest snakes and can eat humans, cats, dogs, birds, rats and other snakes.