Switzerland breaks records as Gotthard tunnel opens

The world's longest and deepest rail tunnel has officially opened in Switzerland with a flamboyant ceremony.

The 57km (35-mile) Gotthard tunnel, which took almost 20 years of construction work, will provide a high-speed rail link under the Swiss Alps between northern and southern Europe.

Goods currently carried on the route by a million lorries a year will go by train instead and Switzerland has said it will revolutionise European freight transport.

View today's amazing opening ceremony on the Beeb here.

A clip of the tunnel as it was created from January:

The tunnel has overtaken Japan's 53.9km Seikan rail tunnel as the longest in the world and pushed the 50.5km Channel Tunnel linking the UK and France into third place.