Woman Hears Knocking On Door, Finds 10-Foot Alligator Outside

A Florida woman who heard an "aggressive knock" on her door peeped out to find a 10-foot alligator outside. Geri Staples of Merritt Island says she had the scare of her life on Tuesday morning when she saw the huge gator outside her home.

"I saw him right there and he hit the door, and that's when I ran upstairs. I wasn't sure if he kept pounding like that if he could actually open the door with his snout if he hit hard enough. So I wasn't taking any chances," Ms Staples told WESH.

According to Fox News, neighbours attempted to wrangle the 158 kg alligator, but were ultimately unsuccessful and had to call for backup. A trapper then shot and killed the animal.

FRIGHTENING: A 10-foot-long alligator crawled up to a woman's front door in Merrit Island and started knocking. We arrived after the 350lbs gator was shot by trappers. pic.twitter.com/jRmjV3SQhy

— NickyZizaza (@NickyZizaza) February 12, 2019

"I'm just glad they took him away, so I don't have to worry about him anymore," said Ms Staples.

Though alligator sightings are not uncommon in Florida, Corey Larkam, who lives in the neighbourhood, told Click Orlando that it was "the biggest gator that has been here in the last 20 years."

Last year, trappers were called to remove a nine-foot alligator found swimming in a family's pool in Florida.