Towers' fate date undecided

Electricity generating company E.ON said no firm date has been fixed for the towers to come down but that it will almost certainly be in the early hours of the morning.

The M1 motorway will have to be closed to allow the towers to be knocked down which means it will have to be done at the quietest time to cause minimum disruption.

Preparations are well under way, with talks continuing between E.ON UK, the Highways Agency and other parties.

A series of test blasts have already been carried out and plans are being drawn up with Meadowhall shopping centre to provide a viewing area for people who want to witness the spectacle.

Mark Maisey, E.ON UK property manager, said: "We're making real progress on site and we will share the demolition date with everyone as soon as we have that confirmed.

"However, it is imperative that we make sure all the necessary preparation has been done, including extensive safety checks, to ensure all potential issues have been dealt with. We want to keep disruption to an absolute minimum."

A competition to raise money for Sheffield Children's Hospital and Rotherham Hospice will be launched once a date is confirmed - with the winner setting off the flare to begin the countdown to the demolition.

"We recognise that the towers have held a special place in the hearts of many Sheffield residents so, as soon as we have that date agreed, we'll be launching the competition and letting people know the arrangements."

E.ON plans to build a 60 million biomass power station nearby on land at Blackburn Meadows.

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