By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 13:06 EST, 30 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:06 EST, 30 October 2013 . It's hardly as picturesque as the leaning tower of Pisa. But when this 50-metre high pylon crashed to the earth after being strapped with explosives it was certainly an eye-catching moment. The giant structure took just seconds to smash into the ground after it was obliterated with explosives in the Dwyryd estuary, North Wales. The pylon, which had begun to dangerously lean, was put under investigation and an exclusion zone erected . Boom! Plumes of dust and debris are scattered through the air as the explosives are detonated - making this a very noisy moment in the normally peaceful countryside . As the foundations slowly tear away from the ground, a cloud of smoke and dust can be seen rising as the metal structures buckle . Under the sheer weight of the tower, the strong frames crumple and the wire cables snap. The pylon plummeted to earth in the rural countryside in a matter of seconds . The tower began to lean when one of its foundations eroded. A 100-metre exclusion zone was put around the tower earlier this month, amid fears that overhead electricity cables could fall. Photographer Archie Harris was one of the few witnesses of the demolition on Sunday morning. Mr Harris, from Talsarnau, Gwynedd, which is close to where the demolition took place, said the problems were caused by the pylon being rooted in an unstable sand foundation. 'I'd never seen a pylon like that before. It stands in an estuary and when the tide comes its feet are in the water,' said the 67-year-old. Photographer Archie Harris was one of the few witnesses of the demolition and managed to snap a sequence of shots showing the pylon's collapse . The pylon and its foundations can been seen snapped in two, with only some strained cables connecting the destroyed 50m tower . A spokeswoman for National Grid said the pylon will be dismantled and another erected for the short term while a permanent solution is considered . 'I think the problem was that its feet were in the sand so it had very poor foundations.' Despite the dramatic images, Archie described how the huge metal design made hardly any noise as it hit the deck. The retired council worker said: 'Afterwards I went and told my neighbours who live close by and they hadn't even heard anything.' The images capture the initial impact of the explosives clearly and Archie's fast shutter speed allows us to see the pylon tumbling down. 'It was tricky because I was zoomed into the base initially to capture the first blast.' said Archie. 'I quickly zoomed out mid-detonation so you could see the whole structure as it went into the ground.' A spokeswoman for National Grid said the pylon will be dismantled and another erected for the short term. National Grid will look at a long-term solution for the area, she said.
The soaring tower in rural North Wales began to lean when one of its foundations eroded .
A 100-metre exclusion zone was put around the tower amid fears that overhead electricity cables could fall .
By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 13:06 EST, 30 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:06 EST, 30 October 2013 . It's hardly as picturesque as the leaning tower of Pisa. But when this 50-metre high pylon crashed to the earth after being strapped with explosives it was certainly an eye-catching moment. The giant structure took just seconds to smash into the ground after it was obliterated with explosives in the Dwyryd estuary, North Wales. The pylon, which had begun to dangerously lean, was put under investigation and an exclusion zone erected . Boom! Plumes of dust and debris are scattered through the air as the explosives are detonated - making this a very noisy moment in the normally peaceful countryside . As the foundations slowly tear away from the ground, a cloud of smoke and dust can be seen rising as the metal structures buckle . Under the sheer weight of the tower, the strong frames crumple and the wire cables snap. The pylon plummeted to earth in the rural countryside in a matter of seconds . The tower began to lean when one of its foundations eroded. A 100-metre exclusion zone was put around the tower earlier this month, amid fears that overhead electricity cables could fall. Photographer Archie Harris was one of the few witnesses of the demolition on Sunday morning. Mr Harris, from Talsarnau, Gwynedd, which is close to where the demolition took place, said the problems were caused by the pylon being rooted in an unstable sand foundation. 'I'd never seen a pylon like that before. It stands in an estuary and when the tide comes its feet are in the water,' said the 67-year-old. Photographer Archie Harris was one of the few witnesses of the demolition and managed to snap a sequence of shots showing the pylon's collapse . The pylon and its foundations can been seen snapped in two, with only some strained cables connecting the destroyed 50m tower . A spokeswoman for National Grid said the pylon will be dismantled and another erected for the short term while a permanent solution is considered . 'I think the problem was that its feet were in the sand so it had very poor foundations.' Despite the dramatic images, Archie described how the huge metal design made hardly any noise as it hit the deck. The retired council worker said: 'Afterwards I went and told my neighbours who live close by and they hadn't even heard anything.' The images capture the initial impact of the explosives clearly and Archie's fast shutter speed allows us to see the pylon tumbling down. 'It was tricky because I was zoomed into the base initially to capture the first blast.' said Archie. 'I quickly zoomed out mid-detonation so you could see the whole structure as it went into the ground.' A spokeswoman for National Grid said the pylon will be dismantled and another erected for the short term. National Grid will look at a long-term solution for the area, she said.
matter of seconds . The tower began to lean when one of its foundations eroded. A 100-metre exclusion zone was put around the tower earlier this month, amid fears that overhead electricity cables could fall. Photographer Archie Harris was