A wild monitor lizard lead reptile catchers on a chase through the neighbourhood after breaking into a terrified family's house.<br /><br />Preecha Chaisuwan, 58, called the emergency services after seeing the lizard in his living room in Udon Thani, northeastern Thailand last Tuesday afternoon (April 28).<br /><br />The stubborn animal made the rescue team run from door to door in the neighbourhood as they chased after it.<br /><br />Footage shows how it escaped from the first house then hid behind a clothes rack in the next property. When they tried to approach the lizard, it wriggled and ran away again to the nextdoor neighbour's home.<br /><br />The rescue team tried to call the house owner Punyanuch Chanaphalertwut, 48, to open the gate for them but she was too scared so she threw a key instead.<br /><br />They unlocked the door to finally catch the 4ft long Asian water monitor lizard, which is believed to have ventured out from a nearby canal in search of food.<br /><br />One of the rescuers said it was a hard chase as the serpent was big but quick. He said: "I have caught some smaller monitor lizards and it was easier than this. This one is bigger than I have ever caught but it was also so quick it could outrun us."<br /><br />The resident whose home the lizard invaded, Punyanuch, believes that the appearance of the reptile is a sign of good luck.<br /><br />She said: "Last night I dreamed that there were tons of gold and money in my house, then today the monitor lizard had entered. I think this is a good sign."<br /><br />The monitor lizard will be released back to the wild away from the villages.
