Two development employees have been detained by police in China for damaging a piece of the Great Wall.

Police in Youyo County in Shanxi province say the suspects used a digger to create a shortcut via the enduring landmark.

State broadcaster CCTV stated on Monday the pair had triggered "irreversible damage".

The Great Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stretching greater than 5,000 miles. Its development started within the third century BC to discourage overseas invaders and continued for hundreds of years.

The affected part of the wall dates again to the Ming dynasty, 1368-1644.

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Images on Chinese State TV confirmed the aftermath of the scene - a large hole in what gave the impression to be the traditional construction.

Police had been alerted to the incident on 24 August, the China Daily reported, and adopted the tracks of equipment within the dusty street into Horinger County the place they positioned the 2 suspects who had been contracted to work on a development undertaking close by.

A person and lady had been detained, in keeping with the newspaper, citing the Shanxi Cultural Relics Bureau.

The case is below additional investigation, state media reported.

Content Source: information.sky.com