After a day in the pool of their new Airlie Beach home, the Thompson family and their friends were heading inside when screaming rang out.

The sight which confronted Evan Thompson is any parent’s worst nightmare.

Watch the video above

“I just heard this bunch of screaming. I instantly turned around and just saw what was happening,” Thompson told 7NEWS.

A large scrub python had hold of his four-year-old son Clifford.

The scrub python which attacked Clifford Thompson, 4, at his north Queensland home. Credit: Evan Thompson / Supplied

“It was just a massive snake. It’s head was very big and was latched onto his leg,” Thompson said.

“At that stage, he was holding onto the side of the boardwalk and it was just pulling him into the bush.”

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Thompson’s instincts kicked in, but this wasn’t going to be an easy fight.

“I knew I had to do something so I ran straight up and punched it straight in the head,” he said.

Clifford Thompson is recovering in Mackay Hospital. Credit: 7NEWS

“It let go, which was great. But as soon as it’s leg go, it’s curled right back up and went straight and bit him again on the upper right leg.

“At that stage, it started to yank him back further and I could see it start to cause a significant cut to his leg.

“I knew I had to do something then and there. I grabbed its jaw and bent it back as hard as I could.

Chevron Right Icon ‘I knew I had to do something so I ran straight up and punched it straight in the head.’

“I could see he was getting pulled underneath into the bush, which is the last place I wanted him to be.”

Thompson said the snake’s head “popped off” Clifford, who made a run for it.

But the reptile was done with yet.

In the video below: A delivery driver’s near miss with a brown snake

Play Video A delivery driver has had a rather scaly surprise after a brown snake slithered off a roof - narrowly missing his head. A delivery driver has had a rather scaly surprise after a brown snake slithered off a roof - narrowly missing his head.

“The snaked dropped back down and tried to get back onto the boardwalk at my son,” Thompson said.

“I had to run around, grab it on the tail, and just pull this thing away from Clifford as it was constantly trying to get back at him.

“At that stage, I’m screaming out. I can’t do this on my own.”

Thompson’s mate came to his aid and they killed the snake.

‘Never seen a snake that aggressive’

On inspection, Thompson believes the snake may have been around five metres.

“I’ve never seen a snake that aggressive,” he said.

“The fact he just kept coming back is something I haven’t experienced before.”

The family had only moved into the home in north Queensland five days prior to the incident on Thursday evening.

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For an “absolutely terrified” Clifford, he is recovering in Mackay hospital from a deep leg laceration.

Chevron Right Icon ‘I’ve never seen a snake that aggressive. The fact he just kept coming back is something I haven’t experienced before.’

“He’s been quite well actually,” said Thompson.

“He’s a tough kid. He’s tough as nails. It’s just good to have him up and going.

“It wasn’t a minor incident.

“Even for us adults, it shook us up a bit.”