Workers were stacking watermelons on a display rack when the fruits collapsed from the shelf.

One of the shopkeepers was carefully arranging the produce into a small mountain-like pile when the stack suddenly gave way in Yunnan, China.

CCTV footage shows the man placing the last melon on top of the entire stockpile when some of the juicy orbs began to fall on August 1.

This prompted the pair to attempt to catch the fruit with their arms, as one of their colleagues ran to help.

However, the tumbling melons continued to topple to the ground with loud cracks. Some can be seen bouncing in all directions and scattering across the pavement.

The impact left several smashed with cracked rinds.

The three employees could only stay in place and hold onto the rest of the stock while their owner stepped out to retrieve the fallen fruit from the walkway.