Thrill-seeking children in Fujian's Zhanghzou have raised the ire of police for conducting an amateur track & field event on a three-lane highway on Saturday night.

Nearly 20 children were seen playing amidst the traffic, racing each other and, at times, lying on the road in a dangerous game of 'chicken' before rushing to the shoulder to narrowly avoid being hit, according to China Daily.

Police were called to help the children return to their homes (or at least out of the way of speeding traffic) before an inevitable tragedy should occur, but all of them managed to flee as soon as cops arrived. Authorities have reported that a number of these highway mini-olympics have taken place recently, forcing police to stand guard at some of the more accessible parts of the highway.

The children's brazen performance may have been inspired by the recent escapades of daredevils across China, including a German who set the new high-line walking record in Guangxi (watch the video here) and Russians who famously ascended the under-construction Shanghai Tower to capture incredible photos and videos.

In any event, it is not the first time that Chinese highways have been the site of some unusual happenings. Last year, dancing aunties busted a move on a Tianjin highway while stuck in a traffic jam, and a pet ostrich drag racing a truck driver made headlines in Yiwu.