An 11-year-old girl who offered her seat on a bus to a woman holding a baby was cursed and threatened by an elderly man because the girl did not give the seat to him.

The girl, who came with her mother from Guangzhou, Guangdong province, offered her seat on a bus in Wuhan, Hubei province.

However, an elderly man standing nearby suddenly began to curse her and accused her of "not respecting old people".

He continued his abuse until other passengers began to shout at him.

A friend of the elderly man even threatened to beat a passenger who helped the girl, who was frightened into tears.

A friend of the girl's mother, who was also on the bus, later said the girl was "very depressed" due to the incident.