'Startling steps' tourist bridge in China closed after girl falls and breaks spine

A beauty spot in China has closed its valley-spanning suspension bridge after a young girl fell through a gap and broke her spine.

The 11-year-old girl was said to be crossing the 196ft high attraction known as 'Bubu Jingxin' - or 'Startling Steps' when her safety harness failed.

She reportedly fell through one of the purposely built one-foot-wide gaps.

The child and her family were visiting Tangli Happy Play Valley in Dalian, in north-eastern China's Liaoning Province, when the accident happened on Sunday.

The bridge, which has a metal step trail as well as a transparent glass plank trail, spans 280 metres across a river valley and is one of the scenic area's six 'challenges'.

The girl is understood to have been hooked up to a safety harness at the time of the accident, but the cord reportedly failed to stop her plunging nearly 200 feet into the forest below.

In a statement on Monday, Tangli Happy Play Valley said the girl suffered bruises on her head, concussion, lung injuries, as well as fractures to her thoracic and lumbar vertebrae.

She is said to be in a stable condition while still recovering at a local hospital.

The beauty spot, which began welcoming tourists again on May 3, said it had suspended its Bubu Jingxin attraction.

But remaining challenges - including its high-altitude swing, transparent tube slide and glass-bottom bridge - remain open to the public.

An investigation into the accident is ongoing.