This is the moment a young boy loses his balance and falls in the water before his pals come to the rescue and apparently prevent him from drowning.

The incident took place in the city of Puning, in the province of Guangdong, on the coast in southern China.

The footage begins with three children standing near a large body of water.

Two kids go off-camera when the third child, a small boy wearing a red T-shirt, loses his balance and falls into the water.

He can be seen bobbing up and down as he struggles to keep his head above the water.

His panicked friends dash off to find help, but quickly return empty-handed.

Thinking on their feet, they kneel down and manage to pull their friend back onto dry land.

One netizen said: “The boy did not have enough time to wait for adults to come so it is thanks to the boy in white, who ran back and took his hand, that he’s okay. The boy’s parents should thank their son’s friends.”

A TikTok user said: “Where are the children’s parents, how can they allow such a small child to play alone by the river?”

Another netizen said: “This little boy is so smart, unlike some children who may be frightened or start crying when they see such a thing.”