This is the bizarre moment scores of people play badminton in the middle of a busy street in China as the traffic drives down the street in between the players.

The incident took place in Xi'an, in Shaanxi Province, in central China, on the evening of Friday, June 28.

The footage shows cars driving down the busy street as the people playing badminton stand on either side of the road, swatting the shuttlecocks backwards and forwards in front of and over the vehicles.

Police said they could do nothing about the practice, causing Chinese locals to wonder about the quality of policing and community management in the area.

Local media reported that about 20 residents took part in the Friday evening badminton fun as a means to exercise after dinner to help them digest their food.