Two red-bricked chimneys at an abandoned state-owned sugar mill in Quanzhou, Fujian province, have become the centre of attention.

Trees, believed to be banyan trees, sprout from the top of the 9m-tall chimneys.

The sugar mill, built 50 years ago, stopped operations in 1986.

The trees appeared at around that time, villagers told People's Daily. "Oddly enough, there is no water around the chimneys and there was even a year of drought, yet both the trees managed to thrive," said villager Wu Xiulin.

Many people have travelled to the village to take pictures of what the villagers call "green chimney hats".