This is the moment a bungling crane operator knocked over a 50ft high chimney - then crushed a sacred Buddhist crematorium.

The dopey construction worker had been hired to carry out repairs on the structure by replacing the smoke stack.

However, he appeared to misjudge the distance between between the crane's arm and the top of the chimney in Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand.

Footage shows how the vehicle clipped the concrete stack sending it crashing to the ground.

On its way down, it also dragged the truck-mounted crane off balance and the arm smashed into the roof of the holy crematorium, where families pay their last respects to loved ones.

The driver was left suspended 15ft in the air with the cabin lifted off the ground.

Shocked monks - who were watching the repair work - rushed to help the driver who clambered down to safety.

They then sifted through the wreckage of the building, which also housed dozens of sacred Buddhist shrines.

Priest Prakru Samupisith Analayo, the chief monk at Wat Kongkalieb temple, was shocked when he saw the accident unfold.

He said that followers had spent the last year raising funds to repair the building, which was due to have a new chimney installed.

Prakru Samuphisith said: "We wanted to remove the chimney from the old crematorium and build a new one.

"When we saw the accident, we were shocked because it had damaged most parts of the hall which was unexpected. It will have to be fixed soon but it will be expensive.''

Monks have now started fundraising to build a whole new crematorium building.

Truck controller Prasert Bangsean, 59, from a local building contractor company, said his team had miscalculated the height.

He said: "This was caused by the team's mistakes. We had not calculated the correct weight and height the truck and the chimney, so we were off-balance.''