A man in northern China lit catkin flowers on fire, setting vehicles and flats alight.

In the video, shot in the city of Handan in Hebei Province on March 28, a man took a lighter out of his pocket and lit the catkins on the ground.

The man then tried to use a broom to put out the fire after he saw it spread in the wind, but failed.

Another clip shows black smoke rising into the air from the two cars and a flat engulfed in flames.

According to reports, the man named Suo felt the catkins were annoying, so he lit them with a lighter.

Two cars were left burnt and several flats were damaged in different degrees.

Suo was arrested and the case is in further investigation reports said.