WHEN George Thompson locked the doors to a hide and skin works for the last time he told his manager he wanted to be the person to press the button to bring it to the ground.

Yesterday, 15 years later, Mr Thompson, 69, had his wish granted when he returned to his former workplace to help begin its demolition - at the controls of a bulldozer.

The flattening of the CWS Hide and Skin Works, in Dunston, signals the start of a £2.3m land reclamation scheme by Gateshead Borough Council.

The work will pave the way for a major housing scheme by Miller Homes of more than 260 dwellings, complete with landscape and an attractive riverside promenade.

The 5.2 hectare reclamation scheme will involve the demolition of the formerly-listed tannery building and the former Eagle Engineering works.

The remaining rubble will be crushed on site and used as part of the reclamation, funded by One NorthEast on behalf of English Estates