Emley Moor Mast: The day the huge TV mast on Emley Moor came crashing down - and what caused it

Visible from miles away, Emley Moor Mast stands at more than 300m (1,047ft) and is the tallest freestanding structure in the UK – 20m taller than The Shard in London. When it was built in the late 60s and eventually opened in 1971, it was the sixth tallest freestanding structure in the world.

The current building on the site is the third of its kind after disaster struck in the mid 1960s. After replacing the first mast which was built in 1956, the second mast came crashing back down to earth on March 19, 1969 shortly after 5pm. Local residents reported hearing a low rumbling sound as the tower crashed to the ground.

Ice was known to regularly form on the steel mast during cold weather, and could often be seen falling from the huge mas. Roads were occasionally closed and signs were left in the area to remind walkers nearby of the danger of ice falling from the structure.

And it was a combination of the ice forming on the mast and the wires which held it in place and strong winds which led to the collapse of the mast. An inquiry later found a form of oscillation was the cause of the collapse, which only happened at slow but steady wind speeds. A number of modifications were made to similar masts – including hanging 150-ton steel chains within the structure – to try and prevent the disaster from happening again. None of the modified masts have collapsed.

Pictures from The Yorkshire Post’s archive show the destruction caused by the collapse. Sections of the mast and building were strewn across Jadder Lane and Common Lane, as well as some of the surrounding fields. It was a miracle no one was injured, particularly as one of the stay cables had cut through the roof of a nearby church.

Yorkshire Television was forced off the air and almost out of business by the lost advertising revenue, yet within 28 days a temporary mast from Sweden had restored the signal.

The collapse also left two million people without television service, in what was the early days of colour TV. The BBC set up a mobile mast on an outside broadcast van within two days to restore BBC2 service in colour, and a 204m mast was built within the space of a month to try and restore service to as many people as possible.

Building work on the structure which currently dominates the area’s skyline began later in 1969 and eventually came into use in 1971, broadcasting BBC and ITV. Since it opened, a number of modifications have been installed at the tower including some supporting towers to accommodate for dishes and aerials.

Now known as the Arquiva Tower – but still called Emley Moor Mast by the locals – it was Grade II-listed by English Heritage in 2002 and is one of the most recognisable and much loved landmarks in Yorkshire.