Spontaneous combustion

A number of farmers in eastern China have been left baffled by a series of exploding watermelons.

Farms in the Jiangsu province have lost acres of fruit after their watermelons began to detonate one by one, seemingly for no reason.

One report by China Central Television has blamed it on the overuse of a chemical that helps fruit grow faster. Liu Mingsuo, a farmer from the eastern province of Jiangsu said he couldn't sleep because he kept picturing his precious melons exploding in his field like "landmines".

About 20 farmers and 45 hectares around the city of Danyang have been affected.