A pickup truck driver leapt from his cab and ran for his life when his vehicle erupted in a series of explosive fireballs, as this shocking footage shows.

The incident happened in Baoding, a city in Hebei Province, China, on 25th May.

Street surveillance footage shows the truck pulling over with smoke drifting from its rear before the driver suddenly jumps out and sprints away.

Moments later, a rapid succession of fireballs blast out from the back of the small vehicle, lighting up the road.

Each time the driver tries to move closer, even larger eruptions send him retreating further down the roadside.

Eventually, he gives up and walks completely out of shot as the truck continues to self-destruct in a spectacular cascade of flames.

There were no injuries.

Later footage showed the smouldering wreck being hosed down by firefighters.

The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.

(MJ Leidig/newsX)