A six month project to remove the last of a pub has finished.

The Vic in Maidstone has been removed as work continues to change the front of Maidstone East station.

The pub, formerly The Victoria Hotel, closed in 2011 and has stood abandoned and rotting since.

But with Network Rail set to carry out a £2.5million revamp of Maidstone East, the derelict building, which sat on top of a railway tunnel, had to be removed.

A 47-tonne excavator was brought in to take the building down floor by floor by demolition and asbestos removal company Rhodar.

Asbestos trained operatives were on hand to inspect any materials removed from inside the building.

Andrew Fisk, director of demolition at Rhodar, said: "This high-profile project at the heart of Maidstone included a live railway line, tunnel structure and the need to avoid any disruption to Network Rail and the surrounding areas, combining to add a further degree of complexity.

"The team created a bespoke project plan for Network Rail to ensure that the demolition was delivered to the highest standard in a safe and controlled way, setting the foundations for the next stage of development at Maidstone East railway station."

The end of demolition work means the start of work to transform Maidstone East.

When finished, the station will feature a spacious landscaped entrance, a glass front, a waiting room, café, ticket office, and staff room.

The redevelopment is funded by the rail industry through the National Stations Improvement Programme and by Kent County Council's (KCC) Local Growth Fund.

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