This is the shocking moment a digger's brakes failed and it crashed into a fish pond - trapping the driver underwater as brave locals rescued him from the overturned construction vehicle.

The accident took place near the village of Shilie in Chongqing, China.

A local villager, identified as, Li Chaobing was driving the excavator when the vehicle encountered a brake failure.

CCTV video shows the backhoe rolling on the road when it suddenly overturns on its right side and plunges into the water.

Locals are then seen rushing to help as two of them, identified as Liao Xuedong and Zhou Xianzhong, manage to reach the driver and pull him up to safety.

The driver who was trapped in the small space, was unable to save himself at the time as one of the doors was facing the ground and the other one could not open.

In order to thank the two men who rescued him, the driver made a banner and sent it to a local gas company in which the men work.

Incredibly, the driver emerged unscathed without suffering any serious injuries.