Lindsay Lohan was horrified when co-workers at the Los Angeles County Morgue played a practical joke on her.

The troubled actress - who has completing community service as part of her sentence for breaking her probation in relation to a 2007 DUI (driving under the influence) case - became hysterical when a bloody, severed human hand appeared to fall out at her.

A source told The National Enquirer magazine: "Lindsay went totally hysterical and bolted from the room shrieking. She was making so much noise she never heard the pranksters who'd played their elaborate practical joke howling with laughter.

"When one of the volunteer organisers told Lindsay someone had planted the phony hand as a joke she was furious and ranted, 'I can't believe anyone would think this is funny. It's really morbid and so is everyone here.'"

The workers decided on the prank after they reportedly got sick of the actress' lazy ways while serving her sentence.

The source added: "Lindsay has a real attitude - always acting like she's better than anyone else and spending much of her time taking cigarette breaks."