Tower crashes down on artist's studio

AN artist nearly went to pieces herself after nearby demolition sent a 60ft-tall water tower crashing on to her Suffolk studio.

Nicki Holt, of Woodbridge, was able to salvage some printwork, but she lost vital items and equipment during the accident that all but reduced the premises to rubble.

Norwich-based Mitchell Demolition was due to start rebuilding the building and director John Mitchell said he hoped it would be completed within a month.

The company has the contract to demolish redundant buildings and services formerly used by the Americans when they were stationed at the Bentwaters air base.

Two water towers, landmarks of the base, were being taken down in a controlled operation when the accident occurred.

Mr Mitchell said: "The first tower came down like a pack of cards, but the second caught the edge of the building. One of the legs was weaker than the other and the wind caught it.

"We had evacuated everybody from the building before the operation and the main thing is that no-one was injured. There have been no accidents on site since we came in and we take every reasonable precaution to safeguard the public."

Ms Holt's studio is in the Asylum Studios co-operative in the former library. A darkroom was also partially damaged and another studio's roof was affected.

She will now have to move in to the gallery, where exhibitions are held until a new studio

is built.

"The contractors have been very helpful, but I am still in shock," said Ms Holt.

Rendlesham Project Services Ltd manages the domestic base on behalf of the owners.

Spokesman Greg Vincent said: "We have used these contractors and their work has always been very good. The water towers were difficult to take down and they were within metres of the building.''