HOW the mighty fall and our city's old tower blocks are no exception as north Glasgow watched this high rise bite the dust.

HOW the mighty fall and our city's old tower blocks are no exception as north Glasgow watched this high rise bite the dust.

It took just five seconds - and 55 kilos of explosives - to reduce the 17-storey block in Forge Place, Germiston, to 12,000 tonnes of rubble as part of Glasgow Housing Association's ambitious demolition programme.

Around 200 homes in the area were evacuated as a specialist explosives team moved in, with most residents choosing to stay with friends and family.

And although it took just seconds to demolish, bosses say it took months to reduce the flats to just a hollow shell for demolition.

However, once the debris is cleared from the site within a few weeks the area will be transformed into a landscaped green space.

The block was originally one of a trio of concrete multi-storeys built by the council in 1967.

Demand for the properties, whi ch once housed up to 300 people, fell in the 1980s and an adjacent block at Coll Place was demolished in 1992.

Sunday's demolition, which cost £500,000, leaves only one block in the area and this is also earmarked to come down.

The last remaining tenants from the tower blocks have now been re-housed in the local area.

Glasgow Housing Association's head of regeneration, David Fletcher, said: "The demolition operation was overseen by a consortium of companies appointed by GHA.

"A team from Safedem has been working for several months stripping and preparing the building for demolition.

"Now the 12,000 tonnes of rubble created by the demolition will be cleared and recycled before the site is landscaped to create an open green space for the local community."

Other demolitions due to take place this summer include Norfolk Court in the Gorbals, Shawbridge and the Fountainwell flats in Sighthill.

GHA plans to build 2800 homes around the city.