A blindfolded martial arts master slams down a sledgehammer just inches from two trusting volunteers and blood-curdling footage captures the moment the heart-stopping trick goes horribly wrong.

Two men lay splayed out on the floor with fruit placed around their limbs and above their heads in the video, reportedly filmed during a Sikh festival in southern India.

A man wearing a large orange blindfold and wielding a sledgehammer high above his head then attempts to smash the fruit placed around the volunteers.

Two men lay splayed out on the floor with fruit placed around their limbs and above their heads

He is seen successfully breaking the watermelons and coconuts placed around the first man

A large crowd looks on in awe as he successfully breaks the watermelons and coconuts around the first man on the ground.

However, when he reaches the second man the trick goes horribly awry.

Th martial artist misjudges the placement of the fruit as he brings his hammer down, hitting the second volunteer hard on the forehead.

The volunteer folds his body up as soon as he is hit and then appears to be unconscious for a short time.

The shocked crowd quickly rush to help the injured man and the hammer wielder immediately removes his blindfold when he realises his horrifying mistake.

The victim is later filmed standing and walking with a crowd of people around him clutching his head. It is not known if he had to receive hospital treatment.

However, when he reaches the second volunteer the trick goes horribly awry

Wielding the sledgehammer high above his head he brings it down hard on the volunteer's forehead