This is the shocking moment a two-year-old girl was strapped to a 30ft pole and catapulted into the air - before being dangled upside by her ankle.

The crying toddler was roped into the bizarre ritual at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival in southern Thailand last Friday (October 23). It is best known for followers of the Taoist religion piercing their cheeks with skewers and hitting themselves with whips.

Footage shows how the youngster was tied to the huge wooden beam which was propelled forwards. Stranded more than 30ft in the air, the little girl began crying before a man shimmied up the pole as he appeared to rescue her.

However, he then put the youngster on his shoulders and swayed back and forth before holding her upside down.

Shockingly, he then tied a rope to her ankle and dropped her from the top of the beam - stopping a few feet before she hit the ground. She was then hauled up and dropped two more times.

Astonishingly, followers of the religious event raised no complaints about the apparent child abuse and cheered as the scene unfolded. There were then displays with Chinese dragons and firecrackers from China.

A tourist who recorded the video said they were shocked when they saw the girl being attached to the pole.

They said: ''I couldn't believe what was happening when I saw her being tied to the wooden beam. She was only two-years-old.

''I'm not sure if there was any special religious meaning to it or if it was just part of the show. But the girl definitely looked scared and I can't say for sure that it was safe.''

The shocking ritual formed part of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival which started on October 17 and lasted for nine days.

Thai-Chinese followers of the Taoist religion take part in the annual festival, which sees graphic parades of devotees sticking spikes and skewers into their cheeks.

They believe that by entering a trance they are possessed by the Gods and the pain from the self-flagellation helps to cleanse their souls. According to locals, the ritual started in the 19th century when a Chinese opera group visiting the island fell ill with a malaria epidemic.

The musical troop were doomed until they began worshipping the Nine Emperor Gods and cleansing their bodies by avoiding meat and performing self-flagellation. The bizarre practices have continued among believers.

Participants said this year's festival had taken on extra significance because of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. Although travel restrictions meant that no international tourists were presents, locals carried on with the unusual replies.

Many believe that the pain from the piercings is a way to absorb the ills of their community onto themselves and help to bring good luck back.

Devotee Warin Supattra, who took part in the ritual, said: ''The world is suffering from the pandemic. Many followers have been affected, too.

''Here there are no tourists anymore and people's lives are hurting. They are having a very hard time. Everyone is in pain and I believe our actions will help.''

The vegetarian festival takes place every year in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar.

Followers wearing white join the parades to cleanse their souls. During the nine-day period from October 17 to 25, they will abstain from meat, alcohol, intercourse and bad behaviour. Pregnant and menstruating women must stay at home.

The festival is normally packed with tourists from around the world but Thailand closed its borders on March 22 and has not re-opened to holidaymakers since.