Renowned Hong Kong filmmaker Peter Chan Ho-sun has escaped injury after his luxury SUV crashed into roadside railings in the city’s Southern district when he reportedly swerved to avoid a dog.

The incident occurred at around 12pm on Tuesday while the 62-year-old director was driving his Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV along Island Road in Deep Water Bay towards Stanley.

Chan told police he had swerved left to avoid a dog that suddenly emerged near 33 Island Road, causing the vehicle to slam into railings measuring about 1.5 by one metre (five by three feet), before mounting the pavement and knocking down a roadside tree.

Images circulating online show the SUV’s front bumper and parts scattered on the ground, with the toppled tree nearby.

Chan, dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and jeans, was seen standing by the roadside using his phone to call the police.

The Hong Kong Island regional traffic accident investigation team is handling the case.