Shocking footage purports to show a brave bank worker offering himself as a hostage to encourage an alleged robber to release a customer.

The video, filmed at an Agricultural Bank of China branch in the country's Guangxi Province on April 7, appears to show a man holding a knife to a woman's neck at one of the bank's checkouts.

The CCTV footage then appears to show the manager guiding customers out of the bank's lobby, before offering himself as a hostage in an attempt to persuade the alleged robber to release the woman.

Eventually, distracted by the manager, the armed man is apprehended by the bank's security staff.