This is the moment a bungling Chinese recruit drops a hand grenade mid-throw during a training exercise, prompting his superior to drag him into a nearby trench to take cover.

The video was shared on the social network Douyin, also known as TikTok, by the China Military Television Network.

The lucky escape with the hand grenade involved a recruit from the 74th Group Army of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Ground Force.

The recruit, name not disclosed, removed the pin from the hand grenade and accidentally dropped it on the ground while attempting to hurl it during training.

Knowing he had around three seconds to react, company commander Zuo Cheng grabbed the recruit and pulled him into a nearby bunker where they could safely take cover as the grenade exploded.

Both soldiers were uninjured in the incident.

In the footage, the recruit is seen removing the pin from the hand grenade before swinging his arm behind his head to launch it.

However, the drops the grenade mid-throw and it lands on the ground near their feet, forcing the recruit’s superior to act quickly.

Cheng grabs the recruit by the arm and pulls him towards the nearby trench where they duck down and embrace.

The grenade then explodes and a big puff of grey smoke fills the air.