A motorist in China trying to find a way out of a car park almost died after driving up a ramp with a vertical drop to the ground far below on the other side.

The incident took place in the car park of a residential building in the Chinese municipality of Chongqing and was widely shared on the social network Douyin on 7th May.

The driver said there was no warning sign at the perilous exit and that he could not see it was a dead end as he drove towards the patch of light that indicated it was a way to the outside.

The driver was only saved by the fact that he was not travelling fast, and there was a small ridge as he started to topple over the edge which prevented it from going the whole way over, saving his life and the life of his passenger.

In the footage, the cameraperson says that he is checking that they did not make a mistake in following the road and shows that there is no indication or indeed any warning sign or barrier that would have prevented disaster as he walks back up the ramp towards the stopped car with the door open.

When the cameraperson arrives at the top of the ramp, the car can be seen positioned on the edge of the building with a sheer drop on the other side.