A tiny 85-year-old nun was left with 20 stitches in her legs after being attacked in her bathroom by a 26ft-long python.
Frail Chin Darachan, who is just 3ft 9in tall wandered from her bedroom to an outside toilet at a temple in rural Rayong province, Thailand.
When she opened the door the serpent lunged at her – sinking its fangs into both her legs before she could escape and began wrapping itself around her.
The huge python is manhandled by monks in the street after it had attacked the tiny Thai nun
Chin Darachan, pictured right, recovers with bandages wrapped around her legs after the attack
The enormous python is held to the ground to make sure it doesn’t pounce again with its massive fangs
Monks who also live within the temple grounds heard Chin’s screams and raced to the outhouse to save her.
They attacked the python with pliers and prized the deadly reptile away from the nun – who is not even 4ft tall.
Chin, who has now returned to the temple with bandages on her legs, said: ‘I opened the door to the bathroom and saw a large snake lying down. I could not escape.
‘The python jumped at me and bit my legs. It was too fast and tightened itself around my calves.
‘I was in shock and called for help from the monks and laymen. I could see them using steel pliers to get the snake out.’
A woman points at the injuries caused to 3ft 9in nun Chin Darachan which left her with 20 stitches
The size of the snake can be seen in this picture as it stretches across the pavement near the bathroom where it attacked a nun
After the monks caught the giant python, which they estimated to be 26ft (8m), it was released into the wild
Monks caught the python and stretched it out on the ground.
They estimated its size as eight metres.
It is believed to have slithered into the small building from nearby jungle and found a way through a gap between the concrete wall and a metal door.
Chin was rushed to the Pluak Daeng Hospital after the attack on August 7 at 10.30pm.
The outside toilet where the nun had gone to use having left her bedroom to go to the bathroom
She received 20 stitches in her legs before being discharged.
The snake was later released into the wild.
Chin said: ‘I don’t feel any anger towards the python. It was just doing what was natural.
‘I’m happy to still feel alive. But I’m a little bit afraid every time I have to go the bathroom.’