A huge python terrified teachers and students when it tried to hide in a school building after killing birds on the roof.

The 10ft long serpent shocked pupils when it was seen coiling on the edge of a school window in Nakhon Nayok, central Thailand.

Teacher Chatchai Suwan, said: ''The snake was so big that it could have killed any of the students if it had reached down and bit them.

"I called the rescue team immediately for help because I was afraid that the snake would harm someone.''

Chatchai added that the snake might have been looking for food in the building and found its next meal from the birds on the roof.

Reptile rescuers rushed to the school with protective gear and snake catching rods after receiving the call from the teacher.

The aggressive snake tried to escape into the pool in front of the building when the catchers pulled it down.

The snake stood still under the dirty pool water before it emerged again 30 minutes later.

Volunteers spotted the reptile's head, then used a colander to take it out of the lagoon while terrified teachers and students watched.

The python weighing around 30 kilograms was put into a sack to release in the wild later.

Teacher Chatchai added: ''I'm relieved that the snake has been taken away. This is the first time we've had such a big one in the building.''