Dozens gathered to watch as Tilbury Power Station's chimneys came crashing down.

An almighty boom rang across the Thames as part of the site was demolished at 8am.

The power station's 170m tall chimneys were brought down by a controlled explosion, the seventh at the disused site so far.

WATCH: Chimneys razed to the ground

It was the most dramatic of the lot, after a series of somewhat underwhelming booms since the first one back in September last year.

Scores of people shot photos and video of the event, which has changed a familiar skyline forever, and Wayne Ashby captured dramatic, detailed footage from a drone flying high above the site.

Around 50 people gathered at the riverside next to the lightship, more in the gardens of the Clarendon Hotel and hundreds along the promenade in Gravesend to watch the spectacle.

The concrete chimneys have been part of the site since the station was built in 1969 and are the tallest standing structures in Essex, but it took less than 10 seconds for them to crumble to the ground.

The exclusion zone around the site was bigger than for recent smaller explosions, extending up to the Essex shoreline.

Earlier, RWE Generation, which manages the site, warned: "There are no safe and accessible areas around the perimeter of the station which would provide views of the chimneys coming down and no public car parking available in the area."

But people got a good view of the chimneys' demise from the Kent side of the river.

The sixth explosive demolition simultaneously brought down a section of high level ducting and central conveyor earlier this month.

Other main structures such as the coal bunker houses are scheduled for explosive demolition later this year, with the whole station gone by the end of 2018.

It will take approximately three weeks to process the debris from the demolition. The material will either be reused onsite or recycled locally.

Further explosive demolitions will take place on the turbine hall later this year and people will get at least seven days notice.

In July, RWE announced plans for Tilbury Energy Centre, which will feature various types of gas turbines and an energy storage facility.

Public consultation will begin early next year on the development.