Steel imported from China may have been responsible for the failure of Glasgow's Squinty Bridge, investigators believe.

The Evening Times understands the investigation into what caused a supporting cable to snap in January is focused on steel from a Chinese factory.

A source close to the inquiry said nothing else was "under suspicion" as the cause of the accident.

He said when the component pieces in question were replaced with steel from elsewhere the team was confident the problem would be resolved.

The £20million bridge, officially called the Clyde Arc, was closed on January 14 after a cast steel connection attached to one of its 14 hangers failed, causing the hanger to crash on to the bridge deck.

A crack was discovered in the same component of another hanger a week later. The bridge is closed for at least six months for repair work.

The source, who is involved with the investigation team, said: "There will be wrangling between various companies over this but steel from China is the problem.

"It is too early yet to attach blame to anyone, but the bit that failed is a connecting piece fabricated in a factory in China.

"It brought the whole hanger down.

"We are confident when these pieces are replaced using steel from somewhere else - most likely England - the bridge will be perfectly safe."

The crossing, which links Finnieston to Govan, was opened in 2006 with the bridge intended to be an iconic new Glasgow structure.

It was built by contractors Edmund Nuttall using steel sourced from a specialist company in England.

Jim Scobie, Nuttall's director in Scotland, confirmed the company had employed a steel specialist company, Watson's Steel, based in Bolton.

It, in turn, had sourced the steel from Sheffield-based firm MacAlloy and it is understood MacAlloy sourced some of the steel from China.

Mr Scobie said not as much steel was being produced in the UK any more.

MacAlloy said no-one was available to discuss the issue.

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: "The construction team is preparing to remove and replace all of these connection components, which were sourced from a UK-based specialist steel supplier.

"We are confident this work, when complete, will allow us to reopen the Clyde Arc and put it back into safe everyday use."