Final whistle for Wembley's towers

Wembley is being replaced with a new £757m stadium

The final whistle is to be blown on the twin towers of Wembley stadium as developers reduce the world-famous landmark to rubble.

The destruction of the towers has been left until the last stage of pulling down the 80-year-old stadium in north London.

The towers are made from pre-cast concrete and could not be dismantled and rebuilt.

Football fans will be pleased to know that some of the pieces will be sold as souvenirs, other pieces will be made into a statue.

But most of the landmark structure will be broken up and used as foundations for the new £757m stadium which is due to be completed by 2006.

Blast prize

Ray Tidmarsh, 61, who was born in Leicester and still supports the city's football club but now lives in Dawlish in Devon, will play a key role in the demolition.

He won a competition held by BBC Radio Five Live to press the button that will see the destruction of British football's most famous landmark.

The new stadium will have a giant arch as a symbolic replacement for the twin towers.

Wembley Stadium was constructed as the centrepiece of the British Empire Exhibition.

It took one year to build, and work was completed on 23 April 1923, just five days before the first FA Cup Final at the ground.

The old stadium is expected to be completely demolished by March.