A third controlled explosion took place this afternoon at Tilbury Power Station.

The disused building, across the River Thames from Gravesend in Essex, is gradually being demolished.

At 2pm today three of four original steel structures known as precipitators were destroyed in a small explosion that could be heard and seen in Kent.

Scroll down for video

The structures, each about 20m long, 15m wide and 30m high, were used to clean the flue gasses before they were released from the chimney when the station was operational.

A small crowd gathered next to the water in Gravesend to watch the next stage of the demolition.

The power station closed in 2013 and the biggest explosion took place in September.

A smaller blast brought down more of the building in April.

The chimneys, boiler house, turbine hall and bunker house are scheduled for explosive demolition later this year.