Bilsdale transmitter: Pictures after the demolition of the TV mast by Arqiva

LAST week the historic Bilsdale mast was demolished after weeks of disruption caused by a fire on August 10.

The mast had been providing signal to hundreds of thousands of homes across the North East and North Yorkshire for many years before it went up in flames.

Site operators, Arqiva, confirmed on Wednesday last week that the mast had been successfully felled in a controlled demolition.

Comprehensive investigations had been undertaken on the 500-tonne structure, however, the mast was considered beyond repair by the infrastructure company.

A specialist team used controlled detonations in order to preserve sections for the continued forensic investigation into the cause of the fire, Arqiva had said.

Today Arqiva are set to carry out various power tests of the new 80-metre temporary mast set to bring coverage to up to 95 per cent of residents.

Yesterday a spokesperson for Freeview said TV signals may be disrupted today as a result, however, residents should not re-tune their TV as reception should return later today.

It was also confirmed that the new mast is set to be switched on tomorrow owing to “good weather conditions and a promising forecast.”

Arqiva are expected to switch on the temporary mast tomorrow October 13.

In a recent update from the BBC, a spokesperson for the braodcasting service has said that if testing is successful today, "Arqiva will declare the temporary mast live tomorrow morning."

Let’s take a look at pictures of the demolished mast below:

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