A new video and photos show the start of major demoltion work on Central Library in Birmingham city centre.

The beginning of the end started earlier today as a high reach excavator tore into the building which was designed by renowned city architect John Madin and opened in 1974.

It is being removed to make way for the first two buildings in the £500 million Paradise regeneration project.

Video: Demolition work begins on Central Library

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Prince Charles famously once said it looked more like "a place where books are incinerated, not kept" and a campaign has been running for several years to save the library from the wrecking ball.

Property charity English Heritage twice tried to have it listed by the government but failed on both counts.

Its replacement, the new Library of Birmingham, was opened in September 2013.

Rob Groves from Argent, the development manager for the Paradise project, said: "The visible transformation of Paradise has now begun in earnest. The removal of the exterior of the old library is another milestone for the scheme and for the city itself."