This family in South Carolina got the shock of their lives as they spotted a huge alligator lurking in their garden on April 20.

The Lossada family on Hilton Head Island were trapped inside their house as the alligator patrolled near the windows.

Fernando and Heather Lossada both managed to record the moment animal rescuers attempted to subdue to the huge reptile with rope and by hosing it down.

Fernando told Newsflare: "I got a call from my mom and she started screaming and hung up.

"I rushed home to find George, a huge alligator that lives in our neighbourhood on our back porch. He had knocked over all of the patio furniture and planters. My mom and children were in a panic as they thought he was going to break through the sliding glass door.

"I had already called Sea Pines Security as I didn’t know what was happening and an officer got there shortly after me. When she saw how big and aggressive he was acting, she called for back up. Another officer arrived and then they called for more help and two more officers came to help.

"They got a lasso around his neck and the rest is on the videos. It was a great learning experience for my children because they got to witness how dangerous those animals can be, especially since we live around them. We talk about that every day, so it was good for them to witness firsthand and how important it is to respect all wildlife."

After a couple of hours, the security managed to capture the alligator and release it back to a safe location.