This is the moment a surefooted calf scrambles up a steep cliff to escape its farmer owner before being chased back down again with the farmer holding onto its tail.

The remarkable footage was shot near the north-western Chinese city of Urumqi, famous for being listed in the Guinness book of records as the city which is more remote from the sea than any other.

The first video shows the calf climbing up the almost sheer and crumbling cliff as cars drive past below.

After getting a third of the way up it then pauses, with the earth continuing to crumble under its feet, before then continuing upwards, digging its hooves into the soft surface of the cliff in order not to slip back down again.

It was filmed by a passing motorist who pulled over to capture the adventurous animal, believed to be a bull calf that was to go to market, that eventually makes its way almost to the top before the farmer and another person set off in pursuit.

They are then seen in the second video driving it back down to the road, and at the last minute when the calf attempts to suddenly run back up the cliff again, the farmer grabs hold of its tail, and directs it back down onto the road where it could be captured.

The last few frames show the calf safely back down the ground after its adventure, where it was later captured by its farmer owner.