The man, named only as Mr Xiao, was shocked to find the rare giant salamander swimming in the water and later released it back into the wild, reported the People's Daily Online.

Although it is one of the world's oldest species – dating back more than 170 million years – there are few surviving populations of giant salamander left in the wild. Its appearance has barely changed since the Jurassic period.

The giant salamander, which measured 83cm in length and weighed 5.5kg, was found in Heyuan City in southern China's Guangdong Province.

After keeping it in a temporary tank, Mr Xiao released the creature back into the river, watched by a crowd of fascinated tourists.

-Daily mail