A hapless python had to be rescued with cooking oil after getting stuck head-first - in a man-hole cover.<br /><br />The snake slithered through the tiny opening but became stuck half-way down - scaring residents by wiggling its tail in the air. <br /><br />Rescue workers arrived and used a bottle of vegetable oil normally used for cooking to try and ease the reptile out but at first that was unsuccessful. <br /><br />They then tried to smash the concrete cover without joy - before finally realising an hour later they could lift it up. <br /><br />With the three-metre long python’s head in sight, more cooking oil was applied as staff twisted the snake's body to ease it back up through the hole. <br /><br />It suddenly came free and reared up to strike a policeman but was quickly captured and placed in a canvas sack after the incident at 8am on November 10 in the Bang Lamung district of Chonburi province, Thailand. <br /><br />The Sawang Boriboon Rescue Foundation said the ''operation was difficult’’ and the snake had be released safely back into the wild. <br /><br />They said: ‘’This was an unusual situation but the snake was unharmed. Cooking oil was very useful as a lubricant to pull the snake back out.’'
