THE towering presence of a mighty crane and boom opposite Southampton's Civic Centre became part of the local scenery in 1989.

Storms brought strong winds which made it sway alarmingly and meant it couldn't be used some days, yet it managed to stay strong for a year.

The 200ft crane was used to build the Eagle Star Insurance building – their £16 million plus headquarters. This later became Skandia Life and is now Old Mutual.

A Daily Echo photographer was given the opportunity to travel up in a cage to snap pictures of the view before the crane was dismantled over a four day period at the end of April 1990.

See the pictures he took in the gallery above.