The athletics stadium was a landmark in the city

Work is underway to demolish the landmark complex to make way for a new 20,000 all-seater football and rugby stadium for the city.

Built in 1980, it has staged Welsh and British athletics championships as well as many pop and rock concerts.

But since an agreement was reached to relocate Swansea football club and the new Neath and Swansea regional rugby side to the site little has been spent on its upkeep.

We are using a long reach excavator to nibble away at the stadium structure Project manager Kevin Dickson

Athletes have been forced to train and compete elsewhere but have been promised �3m worth of new facilities in Swansea after a successful funding application to Sportlot.

As well as the new sport stadium, developer Capital and Regional is also creating a shopping and leisure complex with stores, including B&Q and Morrisons, three restaurants and a health and fitness club on the land.

Seventy workers are on site demolishing the stadium.

Kevin Dickson, project manager for Miller Construction which is carrying out the demolition, said work had already started on the new shopping development.

New road

The first commercial unit to be developed will be the B&Q site.

"The demolition of the stadium is under way," said Mr Dickson.

"We are using a long reach excavator to nibble away at the stadium structure.

"We hope to finish the demolition work by the end of the week and clear the site of material and rubble within about four weeks."

Work has also started on constructing a new road into the retail and leisure complex.