This is the dramatic moment a driver crawled beneath a car to rescue a terrified tabby cat trapped in the machinery.

The pet owner had been walking Som Som, her orange moggy, through the neighbourhood in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, when she tethered him to a post to buy a coffee.

She left the feline in the care of her grandmother, but upon her return, she discovered the kitty had slipped his collar and squeezed himself into the undercarriage of her car on January 5.

Distressed, the woman called her boyfriend to help retrieve the hiding pet.

Footage shows the man removing the protective grille from the vehicle to reach the frightened animal.

After a painstaking effort, he managed to grab Som Som, but the cat broke free from his grip in a panic.

Moments later, he successfully managed to pull the cat to safety.

The owner said: 'Som Som isn't used to being outdoors, and this province is unfamiliar to him. He was so spooked by the new surroundings that he just bolted for cover. Thankfully, he wasn't hurt.'