TWO of the three massive cranes marking the locations of each of the pylons on Halton's new bridge have been extended to reach their maximum height.

The largest - the south crane on the Runcorn side of the River Mersey - now stands at 146 metres - over 479 feet - in height.

That is the equivalent of 32 double decker buses stacked on top of each other.

The north crane near Widnes is at 129 metres high while the smaller central crane is a mere 82 metres high.

The differing measurements reflect the different heights that the three pylons will reach when the bridge is complete.

The south pylon will be be 125 metres, the north 110 metres and the central 80 metres.

A team of around 25 highly skilled and trained workers drive the cranes, with five specialist crane operators working at almost 500 feet above the river bed for up to six hours at a time.

Hugh O'Connor, general manager for bridge builder Merseylink, said: "I have to pay tribute to our team who are responsible for not just raising these gigantic cranes to their full height but for working and operating them safely, all of which is a hugely challenging and complex process."

The team operating each crane will play a key role in constructing the three bridge pylons.

They are used for lifting materials and reinforcements for the bridge pylons as well as for constructing and dismantling the temporary scaffolding works that allow the construction workers to access the site.

Halton Council leader Cllr Rob Polhill said: "Seeing the cranes at full height really shows the scale of the new bridge.

“It's exciting to be able to visualise the final height of each pylon.

“It's clear now to see how iconic the new structure will be as a symbol for Halton and the north west."