China is building the world's longest and tallest glass bridge

Workers building the bridge Credit: AP

China has begun building what it claims will be the longest and tallest glass-bottom bridge in the world.

The bridge will be suspended across Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon in Hunan's scenic Zhangjiajie National Park.

The bridge will cost approximately 250 million yuan (£25million) and work began in June this year.

When completed in January 2016, engineers say the bridge will be 300 metres above ground and 430 metres in length.

The bridge itself will be six metres wide, with several glass observatories at various ends. Each glass panel of the walkway will be five centimetres thick.

Guo said the numbers of tourists on the bridge at any one time will be limited to 800.

The bridge will be 300 metres above ground and 430 metres in length. Credit: AP

During this year's National Holiday travel rush in early October, tourists at Yuntai Mountain Park in northern Henan province reported cracks in a glass panel along another glass-bottom walkway. Since then, that bridge has been closed for maintenance.