A tower crane that collapsed as it was being erected yesterday has been dismantled.

Workmen were this morning seen taking apart the arm of the machine, located on a site in New Dover Road, Canterbury, after it gave way at about 10.30am yesterday.

Developer McCarthy Stone has confirmed nobody was injured in the incident.

One eyewitness said yesterday: "The metal of the crane is all warped on the main beam, and it's now hanging downwards.

"It looks like they're now using a separate red crane to prop it up."

The tip of the crane was left touching the ground towards the edge of the building site.

But the entire jib - the projecting arm of the crane - has now been removed and is lying in pieces on the floor of the site.

The New Dover Road site was formerly occupied by four large detached homes, which were flattened last year to make way for a retirement complex.

Developer McCarthy Stone is currently constructing the three-storey block of 50 apartments.

The development will provide one and two-bedroom flats in a “retirement living plus” scheme which will include an on-site bistro and hair salon.

A spokesman for McCarthy Stone said yesterday: “We can confirm that there was an incident during the erection of our contractor’s tower crane at our new retirement living development.

"No one was hurt during the incident. Our health and safety team is attending the site immediately to assess the situation.”