A stunning Chinese woman has had to explain that she is a fitness instructor hired to train at a fire station after images of her being chased by firefighters sparked an online backlash.

The instructor’s training exercises take place at the Changhu Fire Rescue Station in the city of Hengyang in the Chinese province of Hunan once a week.

A video of the female instructor, named Nie, was posted on social media on 9th April by the fire station where it caused an online stir.

In the footage, a long line of firefighters is seen trying to stop the running young woman from getting past them.

Online interest piqued when images of the same pretty woman showed her performing exercises with firefighters in a red top and tight pair of leggings.

The images were posted on social media by the fire station without mentioning who the mystery woman was.

According to the news site Baidu, the clips led to netizens wondering what was going on, with some even criticising firefighters for inappropriate behaviour.

Following intense social media interest in the woman, a journalist from Xiao Xiang Morning News tracked her down and contacted her.

Nie said that she was not a victim or lover of one of the firefighters, as netizens had speculated, and explained that she is a fitness instructor at a gym in Hengyang.

She also revealed that she visits the fire station once a week to carry out exercises with the firefighters that include fun group games like the one seen in the video.

Nie said: “Because firefighters generally exercise a lot, sprinting, climbing stairs, and other high-risk exercises, they often get injured. Fitness training is different from their usual exercises. It helps to reduce sports injuries and increase muscle endurance.”

She added: “Their physical fitness is very good in general. As a fitness instructor, I just give them a more systematic training guide.”