THE iconic vast cooling towers of Didcot power station — which have divided popular opinion for many years — were the toast of the town last Thursday.

Those involved with the local landmark station celebrated its 40 years of generating electricity.

Didcot A, the coal-fired power station with the six 99-metre cooling towers, first generated electricity in September 1970 — and staff marked the anniversary with a nostalgic look back at the plant’s success 40 years on.

Station manager Jim Haggan said: “The power station has been a landmark in Britain for 40 years and has done a tremendous job of providing the power vital to Britain’s economy.

“It has put millions of pounds into the economy of Oxfordshire and provided employment for thousands of people over the past 40 years. The towers were mentioned in Bill Bryson’s books and have been admired by many.”

Father-of-two Roger Barnes, 56, engineering and maintenance manager who started work at the plant a few weeks before it started operating, said: “I have worked my way up over the years and I’m glad I was given the opportunity.

“It has been nice to see some familiar faces back at the plant to celebrate the anniversary.”

On one hand, retired civil engineer Keith Harris, 68, of Charney Bassett, has branded the station ugly and said he was looking forward to seeing Didcot A decommissioned in 2015.

He said: “Some people think the power station is an object of beauty, but I think it is ugly and it spoils the views from miles around.”

On the other, Jeanette Howse, chairman of Didcot Chamber of Commerce, countered: “The cooling towers look stunning against the skyline and when you are driving back from a trip away and see them, you know you are almost home.

“Didcot power station has been good for the local economy and this anniversary is well worth celebrating.”

Previous managers John Rainford, Jim Twomey and Norman Holland, joined Mr Haggan and the mayor of Didcot, John Flood, for the cutting of a cake topped with edible cooling towers.

Mr Haggan said: “We have welcomed back former staff to reminisce and see how the plant has developed and improved, with the emphasis on energy efficiency and lowering emissions.

“Perhaps there will be a public campaign to keep the cooling towers, but the intention is to demolish them.”

The celebrations included a 1970s-style lunch for the power station workers. Ex-workers who were there at the start gathered for a reunion lunch last Friday.