End of an era as iconic cooling towers are reduced to rubble

FORMER Cottam Power Station workers shared an emotional moment as they gathered to watch “the old girl” demolished yesterday in a series of explosions.

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

The Retford plant's eight cooling towers came down in just 10 seconds after having been a major part of the North Nottinghamshire skyline for decades.

The site was built in the 1960s and decommissioned by EDF Energy in 2019.

In the years since the decommissioning, elements of the site, including its colossal chimney stack, have been demolished.

Thursday's explosion was the ninth such event at Cottam since it was decommissioned, but it was undoubtedly the one everyone had been waiting for.

The Post watched the demolition from a field off Torksey Ferry Road in Rampton, which seemed to be the most popular viewing spot.

Hundreds were gathered in the field and the nearby Eyre Arms pub opened early for the demolition event.

Drone pilots, architectural enthusiasts and families on a trip out in the school holidays were among the vast array of people who came to see Cottam come down.

A big percentage of the crowd though watched the spectacle with mixed emotions, having spent years of their working life at Cottam Power Station.

Among them was Ian Clements, who lives in the nearby village of Thorney.

Mr Clements worked at Cottam from 2007 right up until it was decommissioned in 2019. The 51-year-old said: "I worked there for 12 years, so I came today just to see the end of the old girl.