This is the moment a father ruins his six-year-old son's birthday piñata surprise by punching it.

Footage shows the little boy trying to hit the fruit-filled chocolate ball with a wooden baton as his mother encourages him to 'really whack it'.

But, when his father got impatient at the family meal in Durham, North Carolina, he decided to speed things up by punching the piñata, smashing it into loads of edible shards.

A father ruined his six-year-old son's birthday fruit-filled chocolate piñata after punching it while the family were out to celebrate his special day in Durham, North Carolina

Video shows the boy swinging his baton at the piñata as his mother tells him to give it a good hit.

But, taking the cue meant for the boy, his father decides to hit the swinging object.

It is unclear how the boy reacted to having his birthday treat destroyed, but a sheepish father can be heard saying 'sorry' before the clip ends.

One family member said: 'We got our 6-year-old a chocolate pinata for his birthday. Watch dad ruin it!'

A tradition initially from Mexico, piñatas have proved popular for children's birthday parties as they are filled with tasty treats.

It was filmed on November 27.

The piñata shattered into small chocolate shards after the father intervened. It is not clear how his son reacted, but the sheepish father can be heard saying 'sorry' in the clip