A desperate Chinese father who didn't have enough money to pay his meal at a restaurant offered his daughter as a guarantee of payment, saying that he would pick her up the next day.

The man, from Foshan city in China's southern Guangdong province, ordered a bowl of noodles for six yuan ($0.90). When he went to pay, he realized he was one yuan short ($0.15 USD), the Daily Mail reported.

The father left the restaurant to find cash, saying he would return for his daughter the following day.

The restaurant's security footage showed that the girl tried leave with his father and burst into tears when she was ousted back inside.

The restaurant owner called the police, suspecting the man was attempting to abandon his child.

A couple of hours later, the man returned to the restaurant and an argument ensued. He was angry that the restaurant owner had involved the police, insisting he never intended to abandon his child.

He claimed that the battery in his electric scooter had died and it had taken him longer to retrieve the money.