A man has died after a road in China collapsed, sending his car plunging to the bottom of a five-metre deep hole.

The incident happened at night on Xiangjiang Road in the Tianxin District of Hunan Province.

At least two people were able to climb out of the car to safety, but two were badly injured.

It was difficult for rescue crews to get to the victims because there was a risk another section of the road might collapse.

Three people were eventually taken to hospital, where one man later died.

The cause of the collapse is still being investigated.