This is the heart-stopping moment a young boy was saved from a terrifying face-to-face encounter with a deadly cobra.

Footage shows the toddler riding his toy car when the venomous snake slithers directly towards him in Huizhou, Guangdong, China.

As the child comes to a halt, the deadly serpent rears up with its hood flared, an unmistakable warning sign that it is ready to strike.

Even as the boy begins to retreat, the reptile chases down the road at an alarming speed.

The youngster is only rescued when his quick-thinking father throws a bag of vegetables over the cobra, creating a momentary distraction that allows his son to flee.

As the dad pulls his child to safety, the confused serpent slithers away on June 5.

The boy's mum later said: 'It was so close - the child was almost bitten.'

Chinese cobras (Naja atra) are among the world's most dangerous venomous snakes. Their neurotoxic venom can begin paralysing the nervous system within seconds, quickly shutting down breathing and heart function if untreated.