IT was a job that needed a crane to build a crane to build a crane.

IT was a job that needed a crane to build a crane to build a crane.

Ipswich's skyline is home to another mega structure today after the second huge tower crane was erected at the Waterfront.

The 80metre crane is seven metres taller than the first saddle tower crane which its now sits alongside at the Regatta Quay development.

Specialist crane erectors from the St Neots-based Select Plant company erected the huge crane over the past two days.

They brought in an enormous 500tonne mobile crane needed to put the pieces of the tower crane together - and they needed another crane to put that mobile crane together.

The specially-trained crane driver who will now have Ipswich's best view - stealing that title from the driver of the first tower crane on the site - was expected to start working from his lofty office in the sky today.

The new crane will be referred to as TC2 (tower crane 2) and it will be doing the heavy lifting in the section of the site which will house a 16-story apartment building.

The crane has a jib length of 55 metres and can lift a maximum of eight tonnes. At its furthest reach it can lift 2.9tonnes.

Mark Snape, health and safety manager for Blenheim House Construction, said the new tower crane would be the second of three or possibly four tower cranes on the site.

When construction along the Waterfront reaches its peak there will be about six of the tower cranes decorating the skyline.

Mr Snape said: “Both tower cranes are fitted with an anti-collision device that stops them from hitting each other.

“It's a mathematical system that stops them going into each other's workspace.”

A team of workers from Select Plant spent the day yesterday putting the final pieces of the crane into place before it goes into service today.

Building activity is going on throughout Ipswich Waterfront as a series of new high-rise apartment blocks, hotels and leisure complexes are constructed.

What do you think of the changes at the Waterfront? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk