A RECOVERY mission to find missing workers at Didcot Power Station was set to resume yesterday after the remains of a hazardous building were brought down.

The remaining half of the boiler house at Didcot A was demolished at 6.01am while the families of the three missing men looked on.

A loud bang was heard before sparks flew around the bottom of the structure and a boom sent a sea of smoke across the town.

Owners RWE confirmed the controlled demolition had been successful and said a recovery operation could resume within hours.

Spokeswoman Kelly Nye said: "We have been told that the explosion has been successful. We have teams and equipment ready to go and resume the recovery.

"But before they can go in, we will of course have to ensure the debris is stable for them to do so.

"Until the inspector has given the all-clear we have to wait before we can start recovery again."

Hundreds of rescue workers have moved around the clock on the site to find missing men Chris Huxtable, 34, from Swansea, Ken Cresswell, 57 and John Shaw, 61, both from Rotherham, after half of the boiler house collapsed suddenly in the afternoon of Tuesday, February 23.

Their efforts were brought to a halt in May when workers reached a 50-metre exclusion zone of the remaining unstable building.

After yesterday’s demolition it is hoped that they will now be able to access an area of the site which had been red taped for health and safety reasons.

Don Chambers, who lives on the Ladygrove Estate, was walking his dog with his family as the boiler house was detonated.

He commented: "Buildings come and go but people’s lives do not. It is devastating for the families and I can only hope this will be the start of the end for them.

"I hope now they will be able to get recovery men in there and find them."

The tragedy, which also killed demolition worker Mick Collings, 53, of Teesside, struck a chord with residents of Didcot.

Dani Bedding, 26, of Fleet Way, said: "It's because people from Didcot experience loss frequently what with the barracks and bomb specialists in Didcot.

"Grief brings people together and I think because it has happened in the local area the community feels a bit of responsibility."

Didcot Mayor Steve Connel said: "As the son of a fireman who risked his life on a regular basis I completely appreciate that the safety of everyone involved has to be a key priority, but I will say that I am frustrated that it has taken this long to truly begin to search for Chris, Ken and John.

"What I can say with 100 per cent certainty is that every man, woman and child in Didcot is hoping with all our hearts that their families get to take them home as soon as possible."