Shocked tourists witnessed the "once in a lifetime" sighting of a baby impala being eaten by a 12-foot python while aboard a Kenyan safari. 

In the video, the huge snake can be seen slowly ingesting the young antelope, finishing off with the creature's legs, before slithering away into a nearby stream.

The snake swells to several times its normal size as the impala begins to fill most of its body, while its tail remains curled around the part of the prey not yet eaten.

The incredible scene was captured by holidaymakers Caron and Mark Steele, from Worcestershire during a holiday in October.

Natural World Safari managing director, Will Bolsover said: "With the wonders of nature you are never sure what you may cast your eyes on, and it is not often that you get to witness such an event.

"To see this in all its glory is a definite once in a lifetime experience."

The pair were on a game drive in the Masai Mara reserve, popular for sightings of big cats such as lions, leopards and cheetahs - but very rarely snakes.

During the video local tour guide Andrew Lenkume can be heard explaining how the snake produces a substance as it eats, which softens the animal and allows it to be digested. 

The python is the biggest snake in Africa, but is rarely spotted on game drives due to its ability to camouflage in the surrounding grasses.

As they are so slow, they usually eat smaller animals found in trees such as squirrels, or will occasionally drop out of a tree onto a larger creature, rather than attempting to stalk and catch it.

The lucky traveller who filmed this amazing scene was staying on a nearby luxury site called Richard's Camp, a private conservancy which is especially remote and wild.
 

Impalas grow to a metre tall and are a type of medium-sized antelope.

Most antelopes typically give birth in September and October, timed with the coming of the rainy season to increase the chances of the babies' survival.

But the infants are regularly left alone for up to a few hours by their mothers, which more commonly sees them fall prey to hyenas and big cats.