Visitors were stunned as nearly 100 monkeys raced down a mountain.

A troop of macaques hurriedly descended the mountainside, passing astounded holidaymakers at Qianlingshan Park in Guiyang, China.

Footage shows the primates jumping over a high concrete wall, with some sliding rapidly along cables overhead, on November 24.

Others leapt across barriers before charging towards the lower paths.

The filmer said the monkeys came from behind, above, and beside him and claimed the sudden movement made his hair stand on end.

Park officials confirmed that there were more than 1,000 wild macaques in the area.

They said: 'The monkeys lived freely and moved around the mountains as part of their normal behaviour. They sometimes fought, but also moved between different mountain areas.

'The animals were divided into several groups. We strongly advise visitors to avoid the animals, especially by avoiding bringing food into the area.

'The local natural resources bureau was gathering public opinion on macaque population management, and the consultation included options for adjusting population numbers, feeding controls, behaviour guidance, safety measures, and public education.'

Local media reported that official notices showed the authorities had been seeking comments from October 28 to November 27.

A previous announcement had stated the macaque population had grown beyond the park's ecological capacity.

Experts recommended phased population adjustments to reduce ecological pressure.

In a separate incident, monkeys were seen entering shops after descending the mountain.