This is the heartwarming moment a stray cat was rescued from a canal in China.

Kindhearted locals retrieved the hapless tuxedo feline from the water in Guangzhou, Guangdong, on January 19.

Footage shows a man in a red jacket descending into the ankle-deep waterway using a ladder while two men hold a white bucket attached to a rope.

The man then carefully waded through the water and gently grabbed the animal, placing it inside the container.

He then climbed the bamboo ladder with the furry creature inside the bucket.

Upon reaching the pavement, he lifted the cat by its neck to place it on the platform, where it began to walk up.

The filmer said: 'The animal did not sustain any injuries and was checked by the men who helped it.'