Stunned shoppers were showered with sewage when an overfilled septic tanker blew up.

The passers-by sought medical attention after having their faces covered in foul-smelling brown sludge in Hechi, China - and the owner of this shop was even less fortunate.

He complained it would take a week to clean up after almost every item on sale was coated in thick, hazardous slurry.

Sludge: Unsuspecting shoppers were showered with slurry when a septic tanker blew up in Hechi, China

Eyewitness Dong Tang told local television: 'I noticed some people gathered in the street and thought there had been a car accident.

'I wasn't really paying attention, but then the smell hit me. It was disgusting.

'Then I realised that a tank filled with some disgusting brown liquid had exploded, scattering it all over the street and the people who were shopping or walking past.

'At one of the shops, just about every item on display was covered in brown liquid. The shopkeeper was highly agitated.

'He complained that everything was ruined and said he needed to shut the business for a week to clean up the mess.'

Stench: Some walked away from the scene covering their noses, while others sought medical assistance

Any hope of compensation looks futile however - because the firm which made the truck has blamed the firm which operated it, and vice versa.

A spokesman for the company that handles the collection and storage of waste in the south western city said the incident was caused by a technical fault with the vehicle.

The company said those affected should seek compensation from the vehicle manufacturer.

The manufacturer, meanwhile, told local media that explosions typically result from poor maintenance and failure to follow the proper operating instructions.

Police said the contents of the truck had mainly been from local sewers, but it also emptied septic tanks from public toilets from time to time.

Spokesman Cai Chin said: 'No-one suffered physical harm, but many of those covered sought medical attention for fear that chemicals used in the cleaning process, or indeed diseases from the sludge, could cause harm to those affected by the blast.'