Van Minh Dat, aged five, had been helping his mother out at her drinks stall at the Dong Dieu kite field in Ho Chi Minh, the largest city in Vietnam, when the accident happened.

Dat was fatally injured when his legs accidentally got caught up in the kite's string and he was flung into the air before the string snapped when he was around 65ft above the ground.

The video shows the little boy flying through the air before falling as a crowd of horrified onlookers scream in terror.

Although still alive when he hit the ground the little boy died in an ambulance on his way to hospital.

'Dat had run over to pick up some of the fallen soft drink bottles when his leg got tangled in the kite string, which just took off when it was hit by strong winds.'

She said she and others rushed over to try and pull the kite back down but it shot into the air and was impossible to stop.

Dat fell when the string holding him snapped and although it is believed he tried to grab a second string it was too late.

The field was being used by kite flyers who were practising for an upcoming festival.

A city council spokesman said there were officials on hand designed to keep children away from the kites and prevent such a tragedy, but because the boy was with his mother working at one of the stands he had apparently been overlooked.

A full investigation is being carried out.