A Chinese official who helped to build some of China's tallest buildings has been jailed for life for taking almost £2m in bribes.

Kang Huijun, 51, formerly vice governor of Pudong - Shanghai's financial district - took bribes from developers keen to build in the area.

Pudong is home to the tallest skyscraper built in 2008 - the Shanghai World Financial Centre - and is China's financial hub.

Huijin was in charge of all major land deals in the area and would award big contracts and approve land sales for cash payments, which he then used to buy property at below-market value.

He apparently had accumulated more than 12 million yuan (£1.2m) in unjustifiable assets.

According to investigations, he used his connections to get his friends jobs and lived a lavish lifestyle with his wife Wang Xiaoqin - luxury flats and a private-school education for their son in England.

His wife was also jailed for five years for taking 880,000 yuan (£89,000) in bribes.