A seven-year-old lad died of a heart attack when a group of masked individuals ran towards him brandishing swords for a social media video.

Terrified Mohamed Hayder Istanbuli died from a sudden cardiac arrest – apparently caused by shock – in Tyre, Lebanon, on 12th May.

Witnesses told how the young lad was playing outside in the historic town when a group of young men and women suddenly rushed towards him.

According to local media, the individuals were clad from head to toe in black, were wearing scary masks, and were brandishing metal swords.

The terrifying scene – which the group was apparently staging for a social media video – reportedly caused little Mohamed to go into cardiac arrest and die.

His devastated dad, Hayder Istanbuli, has since reported the individuals involved to the police, according to local media.

He argues that they caused his son’s death by failing to warn those present in the area at the time about the nature of the footage they were about to film.

Furthermore, he says, they failed to notify the local authorities about their plans or obtain permission to film in the area.

Their identities were not reported and it is unclear if the police are investigating them.