THIS week plans were finally approved for development of the former Parkside colliery site.

So we have delved into the archives for this picture of the famous towers coming down in 1993.

The mine ceased production in October 1992 although it stayed in place until 1993 while British Coal was assessing pit closures.

The closure of the colliery caused 84 MPs to sign a motion protesting about the ending of coaling operations.

They stated that the mine had been in profit for the past six years, and that a new seam had recently been opened which had involved the procurement of more than £6 million worth of machinery to work the new seam.

Following a legal battle, the High Court decided in May 1993, that the colliery could legally be closed and the towers were destroyed soon after.

It was the last working pit in the Lancashire Coalfield, ending years of history.

Parkside Colliery was built in 1960.

This remarkable picture by Mike Boden shows two of the cooling towers falling to the ground in a dramatic demolition.

The site stood derelict for many years until proposed plans were drawn up in 2010 for the site.

Built on former green belt land, it meant planning developments on the site would be difficult to achieve.

But plans to redevelop the area into a logistics site can now go ahead with more than 1,000 jobs promised.

John Downes, head of Parkside regeneration, said: “This is very personal to me. I started my career at Parkside as a sixteen year-old and it brings that journey full circle.

"At its peak the colliery employed more than two thousand people and to be able to replace that lost work is hugely satisfying.

“Everyone in the borough will benefit from this investment.

"Not just because they’ll possibly know young people accessing apprenticeships and training opportunities, or relatives finding work at Parkside, but because the site will generate millions of pounds a year in rateable income for investment in social care and other vital public services. This is a ‘win’ for the whole borough.”