12ft-long python terrifies supermarket staff

This is the terrifying moment a 12-foot-long python was caught after slithering inside a supermarket.

Horrified checkout girls noticed the deadly reptile stretched out in front of the freezers at the 7-Eleven store yesterday afternoon, September 31.

They screamed in terror and ran for cover before calling snake catchers who arrived at the store in the the Sii Racha area of Chonburi, Thailand.

Volunteers arrived and snared the serpent using special equipment before stuffing it in a canvas bag to be released back into the wild.

Shop assistant Nong Pikul, 22, said: ''I heard my friend scream so ran over to see what had happened. Then when I saw the snake I screamed and ran back.''

The emergency services believe the serpent had been in the store for around 24 hours hiding behind the chilled food, which emits a warm breeze from the fridge fans.

But it then slithered out into the open yesterday afternoon. Rescuers estimated the snake was around four metres long.