THOUSANDS of people lined the coast today as Cockenzie Power Station's iconic chimneys were finally brought down...and The Courier had a ringside seat.

The beach at Prestonpans was packed with people as far as the eye could see and an estimated 300 boats were in the Firth of Forth to witness the midday demolition.

And it was almost stopped as a microlight pilot appeared in the sky as the countdown was about to begin, flying perilously close to the chimney tops.

Warning sirens were blasted to alert him to the danger and he moved to a safer distance, then the real countdown began.

With North Berwick resident Donald McCulloch poised to press everyone held their breath then came the boom.

With perfectly planned precision the chimneys fell into each other as they tumbled to the ground.

Second later the turbine hall was blown up in a second explosion.

More than 160kg of nitroglycerine-based explosives had been expertly placed in the chimney stacks with around 1,500 charge holes drilled into them.

A further 120kg was used to bring down the hall.

Hugh Finlay, ScottishPower generation director, was delighted with the result.

He said: "The demolition team have been working towards this day for two years and it was fantastic to see all of our detailed preparations and calculations culminate in such a dramatic event.

"I would like to thank our partners in this project East Lothian Council and Police Scotland as well as our contractor Brown and Mason.