Terrifying moment giant snake emerges from toilet then escapes

The terrifying moment a huge cobra emerged from a household toilet has been caught on camera.

The snake was living in the pipes in the residential block of flats in Pretoria East, South Africa, but was strongly resistant to attempts to capture it.

In the video, snake catcher Barry Greenshields can be seen entrapping the snake and slowly wrangling it out of the toilet bowl.

However, when he tries to slide the large cobra into a secure container, the cobra snaps at it - and refuses to slide in.

Eventually, the cobra slid back into the toilet.

The huge cobra was found living in the plumbing in an apartment block - but managed to escape capture.

Speaking to news24, Barry said: "The snake was found inside the toilet of one of the apartments but we couldn't remove it.

"It has since gone back inside the pipe system which is very ziggy zaggy. I do snake removals all over Pretoria East, but this is one of the most bizarre ones that I have come across. It's big and strong. It's by far the biggest I have seen."

Snake catcher Barry Greenshield said the cobra was trying very hard to resist capture - and now he is advising residents to keep their toilet lids down.

Anton Meijer, who lives in the block where the snake was found, said that the reptile was discovered at about 9am by those living in the flat below him.

He said: "Mr Greenshields started pulling it from the toilet but it was clinging to something. The more he pulled it got agitated. It went back into the drainage system."

Barry now has the task of going around all the apartments in the complex and asking to check their toilets for the slithery fugitive.

Meanwhile, he has advised residents to keep their toilet lids firmly closed.