Low-key end for Twickenham stand

The South Stand as it was before it was demolished to increase capacity

Twickenham's South Stand was demolished on Sunday as part of a rebuilding scheme to increase the stadium's capacity to around 82,000.

Rugby Football Union (RFU) officals decided to keep the occasion low-key after Thursday's bomb blasts in London and a one-minute silence was held.

The South Stand was opened in 1981 with room for 11,000 fans, and was the only stand-alone part of the ground.

The RFU plans to increase Twickenham's capacity to around 82,000 by June 2007.

Planning permission for the new facility, which will cost around £80m, was granted by the local council shortly before Christmas.

The stand will include a hotel, performing arts theatre, office space and a leisure club facility, and Prescott said he was sure the stand's facilities would have plenty of users.

"The rest of the stadium was completed in the mid 90s so we're looking to finish the work," said the RFU's Richard Prescott.

"There's definitely demand for extra seats," he said.

"Demand for any international always exceeds anything we can provide in terms of tickets.

"We're also licensed for three concerts per year, which finish at 2230, so we're still pursuing having concerts here too."