Mother throws son to safety before falling to death in escalator horror

This picture seemingly shows a mother fall to her death beneath an escalator in front of her son has appeared online.

The 15-secondS video was uploaded to YouTube today, and claims to show CCTV footage from the Jingzhou Shashi Anliang department store in China.

Tragic accident: the mother and her child arrive at the top of the escalator

The mother manages to push the child to safety, but is swallowed up into the machinery, despite the efforts of staff.

According to LiveLeak, the woman's body was found three hours later.

Give way: As they step off the escalator, the floor appears to collapse beneath them

It is not the first time a faulty escalator has claimed someone's life.

Earlier this year, six-year-old Nurhayada Sofia died at a shopping centre in Malaysiawhen she fell five floors having being dragged over the edge by an escalator.

Save him: She throws her son to safety - but cannot save herself

Last year mother of two Naima Rharouity died when she fell while travelling on an escalator in Montreal. A piece of clothing got stuck in the mechansim and tightened around her neck, strangling her.

And in 2003, Professor Sally Baldwin, from York, died when the escalator she was using at a railway station in Rome collapsed and trapped her in the cogwheels.