Work has begun on the demolition of Redcar's iconic blast furnace.

The structure, which has dominated Teesside's skyline for decades, is expected to be completely demolished by the end of the year.

Read more: Heritage taskforce says Redcar's blast furnace SHOULD be dismantled

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The steelworks were mothballed in 2010 before being restarted by SSI when the Thai firm took over ownership from Tata Steel in 2012, but it entered liquidation three years later with the loss of more than 2,000 jobs.

Work to take down the furnace, which is 365ft tall - the same height as St Paul's Cathedral, is being carried out by North East firm Thompsons of Prudhoe.

The blast furnace was the second largest in Europe when it became operational in 1979, but the site, now part of Teesworks, is being cleared as part of regeneration plans by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen and the South Tees Development Corporation to bring 20,000 new jobs - many in green industries - to the site over the next 25 years.

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The future of the site had been a key part of the Tees Valley Mayoral election campaign last year, with Mr Houchen confirming the blast furnace and coke ovens on the former SSI site were among the structures to be demolished as part of a condensed £100m programme to clear and decontaminate the site.

But campaigners from Save our Steel Heritage, including his Labour opponent Jessie Joe Jacobs, wanted to maintain the structure as a tourist attraction.

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A report by the Teesworks Heritage Taskforce, which included Redcar MP Jacob Young, found the cost of retaining the blast furnace would cost £35.2m over 10 years.

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More than 200 people took part in the taskforce's consultation. Of those people, about a third had a view on the blast furnace specifically, with just over half calling for its demolition and the rest saying it should be protected. 

There was support for some kind of lasting museum, with some people suggesting the Dorman Long Tower should be preserved, but this has also since been demolished. 

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All 11 major plants across the site will be demolished, freeing up 600 acres of land.

Speaking earlier this year, Mr Houchen said while the steelworks "played a vital part" in the area's communities it needed to "look to the future, not the past" when it came to jobs.

He added: "We now need to crack on, to make sure the site is cleared by this time next year and nothing stands in the way of bringing new investment and a tsunami of jobs to the site once again."

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Mary Lanigan, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council - whose father was a steel worker - also backed the changes.

She said: "Of course, iron and steel making is in our blood here and there is a real sadness to see some of these iconic structures come down," she said.

"That's why it is so important that our industrial heritage is preserved and we have some fantastic projects celebrating the industry which means so much to us and we continue to be very proud of our steel industry which still remains vital to our economy."

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