Thousands of wriggling goldfish were left floundering across a road after a truck overturned in China.

The lorry transporting the aquatic animals reportedly had to make an abrupt stop during its trip in Jiangsu province.

The sudden halt caused the tanks to shift and water to surge forward, making the container vehicle unstable and flip over.

Footage captured by a passing motorist shows hundreds of small fish lying motionless on the tarmac, with the truck overturned in the middle of the road on June 4.

The truck driver can be seen trying to rescue the surviving fish, placing them into plastic bags filled with water.

Meanwhile, other vehicles slowed down or stopped at the roadside as the scene was cleared.

Authorities responded to assist with the cleanup. No injuries were reported.

The goldfish were reportedly valued at around 1 CNY each, with the driver facing losses of more than 10,000 CNY (approximately 1,029 GBP).