Watch the sad moments Firbeck Pit’s winding house is demolished

The footage - shot on Wednesday - shows the claw of an excavator slicing its way into the building’s gable end - as brickwork collapses.

Chris Booth, who captured the historical structure’s last minutes, said the most ‘poignant’ part was seeing the large fan - still turning in the wind - nudged out of the wall and falling to the ground.

Langold resident Chris said: “To see it still turning right up to the last minute was the death of the colliery.”

The building dates back to 1925 however it was closed in 1968 and finally abandoned in 1970.

Colliery buildings have been demolished to make way for 400 houses.

Bassetlaw District Council approved plans by builder Keepmoat Homes for the development - including terraces, semi-detached and detached properties - in August last year.

Chris, 65, described the demolition as ‘a sad day for everyone in the village’.

He said: “I’ve lived here since the 90s and I’ve walked down there more or less every day with my dogs.

“It’s always been an interesting place to photograph in terms of its industrial architecture and it’s a shame because it took about three years to build but only about 30 minutes to demolish.

“Apparently this was one a very few winding houses left in the country with winding houses at either end and all the machinery in the middle.”

Father-of-four Chris said many in Langold had hoped the winding house could be restored and turned into accommodation.

However he added ‘I imagine that would have cost a lot of money’.

Chris said: “It’s just a sad day for everyone after it’s been there for so long - now it will be just another housing estate.”

Four pillars remain in place at the old pit’s entrance from the A60 and Chris said many local residents hoped they could be restored by developers to mark its place in history.

The two shafts at Firbeck were sunk between 1923 and 1925.

By 1938 the colliery employed 1,457 underground workers and 357 surface workers.

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