Brave Chinese bank employee saves hostage

A Chinese bank employee has saved a hostage's life by convincing a knife-wielding thief to let him take her place.

CCTV from inside the Agricultural Bank of China in the city of Nanning shows a man walking up behind a customer last Friday and forcing a knife to her throat.

After collecting her money, the thief demands the teller hand over more cash, CGTN reports.

An employee approaches the pair a short time later and convinces the thief to let the woman go by offering to take her place.

The man agrees and pushed the woman away before putting the knife to the banker's throat.

As a bank guard creeps up behind the knife-wielding man the employee lunges at his captor.

The thief is quickly overpowered by the pair before eventually being dragged to the floor.