A hero lifeguard saved a little girl from drowning when she was accidentally stuck upside down in her inflatable ring.

The little girl was paddling in the orange toy when she lost her balance and toppled over in the pool in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, on July 19.

CCTV from the government-run pool shows how the infant was dragged along with her legs kicking in the air.

A quick-thinking lifeguard standing nearby luckily noticed the girl struggling underwater and jumped in to save her.

Another man using the pool also spotted the dangerous situation and quickly swam over to help. As the girl broke free from the float, the lifeguard pulled her out and carried her to safety.

Incredibly, it only took the lifeguard eight seconds to prevent a tragedy. The girl was shaken but unhurt.

The person in charge of the pool, whose identity was not revealed, later told local media that the parents of the child left for a while, and the child's center of gravity changed, causing her to tip forwards into the water.

They said the modest lifeguard would be rewarded for his swift action.