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Thousands of people watched one of Britain's tallest structures come crashing down in a huge spectacle today.

But hundreds of others missed the incredible sight - all because they were looking the wrong way.

The Grain power station chimney, which was taller than Canary Wharf , plummeted towards the ground at 11am today in a massive cloud of dust.

But while numerous people lined the shores of Medway Estuary in Kent to watch the 801ft chimney be blown up, hundreds had their eyes trained on the not quite as gigantic structure Kingsnorth Power Station.

While Grain power station was reduced to rubble its smaller cousin continued to stand tall well into the afternoon and is expected to remain intact for several months yet.

(Image: FameFlynet)

Many proud spectators - including a group of children - stood waiting for the spectacle - believing they had secured a great vantage point - holding their cameras at the ready.

One of the unfortunate spectators Dave Lelliot, 67, had parked up to catch the demolition on the banks of the river.

He told Kent Online : "I was talking to a couple of guys and I said 'it's gone 11am now, maybe the man who pushes the plunger hasn't turned up.'

"Then I looked around to my right and said 'hang on, that chimney over there has gone.'

(Image: PA)

"All around people had missed it. There were people shrugging their shoulders and quite a few disgruntled faces."

Around 40,000 tonnes of concrete came crashing down in the Hoo Peninsula, Kent, 37 years after it was built.

EU directives on carbon emissions due to climate change led to the demise of the oil-fired plant, although energy will still be produced from the site from a new gas-fired station.

Watching before the explosion John Ward, 74, who worked at the power station for two years said: "I did all the form work - the bit you can see on the outside of the chimney.

(Image: PA)

"There's three or four of us who worked on it who are still around in the Medway Towns so I'd really like to see it and I wouldn't mind pushing the button."

Justin Bennett, who filmed the chimney as it came falling down, said: "There it goes.

"That's the first explosion and now the second one.

"It was very successful.

"They are doing another one a few miles away later this year.

(Image: PA)

"It wasn't incredibly loud but what you'd expect. It was loud enough to be heard from a lot of other places."

Former plant manager Bill Cliff said: "It is tinged with sadness but it is also a celebration for former workers."

At 10.50 a 10-minute warning siren sounded and a second siren was blasted for 20 seconds at 10.59 before watchers waited in silence for the explosion.

Ahead of the explosion head of demolition Neil Riley said: "There will be two major explosions on the chimney the first one in the middle and another in the base.

(Image: PA)

"The chimney should faint rather than fall.

"We've worked very hard and we've got a great team of people, many people are sad to see it go."