This was the moment terrified locals caught a huge crocodile that was prowling around their homes - before tying it down and killing it.

The deadly serpent was seen stalking through the palm trees on the coast of Palembang, Indonesia, on July 20.

Residents chased away the reptile which took refuge in a nearby stream before reinforcements arrived to drag the beast into the open.

Footage shows villagers using a rope to tie up the croc before it was held down and slaughtered.

Locals said they had to kill the animal ''because of its size'' and that releasing it would have posed a danger to other villages.

Saltwater crocodiles are common in Indonesia but are considered highly dangerous - with relatively high numbers of attacks on people.

Earlier this month, a mob of villagers killed nearly 300 crocodiles at a sanctuary for the animals in the province of West Papua.

They said the slaughter was revenge for a local man they believed had been killed by one of the animals from the site.