A nursing home has apologised for hiring a stripper to dance on pensioners' laps during a raunchy harvest festival party in Taiwan.

The Taoyuan Veterans Home, a state-run facility in Taoyuan City for retired army personnel, paid the woman in sparkly red and black lingerie to entertain at least 12 wheelchair-bound seniors with her titillating performance.

Staff said they wanted to lift the spirits of the infirm residents as the two previous Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations had been cancelled due to the flu pandemic.

The facility was criticised online when footage emerged showing the performer seductively spreading her legs and stroking her body while guiding one grandfather's hands onto her breasts and crotch. The pensioners could be heard cheering during the cheeky routine.

Care home bosses issued a statement apologising after footage emerged from the steamy party. They said they 'deeply regret' the incident that happened on September 7, three days before the region's annual harvest festival.

Staff from the government-run facility told local media that Mid-Autumn Festival parties at the home had been suspended for two years due to the pandemic. To lift residents' spirits, they had arranged for the dancer to put on a steamy show.

A nursing home spokesman said that the stripper's actions were 'too enthusiastic and fiery,' adding that personnel will be 'more cautious' when planning such events in the future.

They said there was also a more sedate game of bingo in the nursing hall, where the pensioners enjoyed eating mooncakes together. This was followed by karaoke before the subtle young woman in revealing clothes was brought into the main hall.

The spokesman added: ' The intention of the event was to entertain residents and make them happy. We are very sorry for the offence that was caused.'

The Mid-Autumn Festival or Mooncake Festival is one of the most important holidays in Asian culture. In China, the celebration is marked by reunions, thanksgiving for harvests, and prayers for good fortune.

The annual event, which this year fell on Saturday, September 10, is also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival.

People in China ask for a rich harvest in the coming year. While in the country's culture, the round shape of the mooncakes symbolizes completeness and togetherness.

Taiwan is an island close to China.