AN ESTATE can finally say goodbye to its association with the harrowing 1970s film, A Clockwork Orange.

Bulldozers have moved in to the Tavy Bridge estate in Thamesmead to demolish the last remaining 230 homes ready for a regeneration project.

Last January saw the beginning of the demolition of the Bexley estate, infamous for being the backdrop to Stanley Kubrick’s movie. The shocking film, depicting youth disorder at its extreme, tainted the area's reputation.

But on Thursday, the community joined local councillors as the site and its damaging stigma were cast into history.

Leader of Bexley council, Cllr Ian Clement, declared it "a new fresh start for Thamesmead".

He added: "Thamesmead has a bright future and it has good people and those people deserve a bright future. The stigma attached to the area is wrong, I hope the new development helps to turn that around."

* For more details and pictures see the Bexley Extra (February 2).