An escaped ostrich was spotted running along a road in China.

Passing motorists saw the flightless bird leisurely strolling in the middle of an intersection in Jiangsu, China, on March 16.

This prompted its keeper to immediately chase after it and grab its neck, dragging it out of the road.

Footage shows the man escorting the curious animal away from the highway toward its enclosure.

The filmer said: 'I was in the opposite lane driving when I saw the ostrich. I was scared to drive past it because I didn't want to startle it and risk it attacking us. Fortunately, its keeper was there.'

Ostriches are flightless birds native to Africa and are the world's largest and heaviest birds. They are also the fastest-running birds, reaching speeds of 60–70 km/h on land.