Last day for Wembley twin towers

Wembley Stadium's twin towers - which have become part of footballing folklore across the globe - were being demolished today.

The sight of the twin towers was part of the quintessential experience of going to Wembley for the many millions of fans who watched FA Cup finals and internationals there.

They have witnessed some of the greatest sporting moments ever on British soil, during occasions such as the 1966 World Cup and the Olympics in 1948.

A £757 million project is already under way to redevelop the entire site, with a 133 metre high arch, which will be visible across London, replacing the historic towers.

The new stadium - due to open in early 2006 - will seat 90,000 people and will have a state-of-the-art sliding roof designed to aid pitch conditions.

But the white structures which have stood for 80 years were being reduced to rubble this afternoon at around 2pm.

Since it was built in 1923 for the Empire Games, Wembley has also hosted pop concerts including Live Aid.

The last international match to be played at the venue was on October 7, 2000, when England lost to Germany 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier.

A short ceremony celebrating the past and future of the stadium was taking place just before a special excavator, nicknamed Goliath, moves in to demolish the towers.

Australian-based contractors Multiplex are building the new stadium, which has a basic cost of £352 million and a total project cost of £757 million.