More than 115,000 people have applied for a chance to walk across the new Queensferry Crossing, just a day after the "once in a lifetime" opportunity was announced.

Entries to the ballot for the Queensferry Crossing Experience have already overtaken the 50,000 places allocated.

On Tuesday, economy secretary Keith Brown revealed the £1.35 billion bridge would open to traffic on August 30.

However, it will close to traffic the following weekend to allow 50,000 people to walk its 1.7 mile span.

The online ballot runs until July 5.

There is no pedestrian walkway on the new bridge, which will connect the M90 between Fife and the Lothians, meaning this is the only scheduled opportunity to cross it on foot.

Brown said: "There has been a fantastic response so far from the public to take part in the Queensferry Crossing Experience.

"Since going live there have already been over 50,000 entries.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to walk the bridge so I would encourage people to continue to enter the ballot to have a chance to be one of the final 50,000 people to do it."

Construction of the bridge has taken almost six years. The structure, intended to replace the Forth Road Bridge, is said to be the longest three-tower, cable-stayed bridge in the world and the tallest in Britain.

It was originally due to open in December 2016, but construction was hit by delays blamed on poor weather.