An American woman was forced to make a snappy retreat after an 11-foot alligator took up residence on her doorstep.
Concerned neighbours phoned Belinda Donaldson to warn her not to leave her house when they spotted the giant reptile. 
But the Florida woman got the surprise of her life earlier when she realised they weren't joking.
She was forced to phone 911 after the animal refused to budge.
Ms Donaldson, who lives in Westchase, Hillsborough County, was ordered to stay inside while wildlife rescue crews moved the animal.
A wildlife expert arrived to catch the unexpected visitor, but it wasn't giving up its new home easily.
Witnesses said it took the trapper at least an hour to move the alligator, which was then loaded into the back of a truck and taken a distance away.
Alligator sightings are not uncommon in the southern American state as the creatures flourish in the warm environment.
Wildlife experts predict there are an estimated five million of the creatures scattered across the country.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Snap goes the alligator: What one woman saw when she opened her front door
