The life of the iconic Layton Flats in Queenstown had come to a natural end and were demolished in 2016.
The spectacle was watched by thousands of people and our photographers were among them to capture the scene as the high rise buildings crashed to the ground.
For some it was like saying goodbye to old friends and for others it was eerie.
Away from the dust clouds which bellowed from the rubble, hundreds of other people gathered on the top of Sainsbury’s car park on Talbot Road to witness a chapter in Blackpool’s history.
These photos tell the story of the day and a video is included above which captures the historic event as it happened.
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Photos from the Layton flats demolition in Blackpool. Photo: Blackpool Gazette
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The cleaning up process was underway the day after the dramatic demolition. Photo by Julian Brown Photo: Julian Brown
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This man was covered in dust. Some people questioned whether the exclusion zone was large enough, and spoke of their alarm and panic as the huge storm of brick particles hurtled towards them. However it was understood the zone was actually bigger than necessary guidelines. Photo: Martin Bostock Photo: Martin Bostock
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Demolition workers head for the site afterwards Photo: Stephen Cheatley Photo: Stephen Cheatley
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Mobile phones were out as people captured the moment the flats tumbled to the ground Photo: Melanie Whiteside Photo: Melanie Whiteside