Hull Orchard Park tower blocks demolished

Two multi-storey blocks of flats in Hull dating back to the 1960s have been demolished as part of planned improvements to a city estate.

The 20-storey Ashthorpe and 22-storey Milldane tower blocks on Hull's Orchard Park estate were demolished by explosion at about 12:00 BST.

An exclusion zone around the concrete towers meant nearby houses had to be evacuated.

Hull City Council plans to demolish a total of five blocks and refurbish two.

The scheme will see the local authority work with a city housing association to redevelop 60 one-bed flats, 15 two-bed flats and 25 two-bed council houses, alongside 13 other houses on the Orchard Park estate.

Bridgeman House was demolished in July 2012, Laxthorpe and Highcourt are due to to be demolished in 2014, while Kinthorpe and Gorthorpe will be refurbished, the council said.

Hall Road and Orchard Park Road were closed to traffic from 11:45 BST until after demolition and some bus services were temporarily suspended.