Steelworkers have drilled the final hole in the last remaining blast furnace in Port Talbot, bringing to an end the traditional method of steelmaking in south Wales. Tata Steel removed the last usable liquid iron from blast furnace 4 - which will eventually be replaced with electric arc furnaces - on Monday afternoon.

Traditional steelmaking has come to an end but Tata Steel bosses insist it is only a matter of time until a greener operation is underway. | ITV News Wales

The final blast furnace at Port Talbot's Tata steelworks will shut down today, marking the end of an era at the site. After days of winding down, blast furnace four will stop operating on Monday, September 30, along with other associated iron and steelmaking assets at the site, in a move which will trigger mass redundancies

The long goodbye to blast furnace no. 4 is nearly over, as Port Talbot stands on the precipice of becoming a ‘steel town’ stripped of its ability to make its own ‘virgin’ steel. It is a huge moment. The long goodbye to blast furnace no.

There will around 2,000 direct job losses at the steelworks as a result of the move, plus a huge number of indirect losses in businesses and contractors linked to the site

Today marks the end at one of the biggest steelworks in the world as the last blast furnace at Port Talbot in Wales shuts down, leaving it unable to make its own steel.

The last blast furnace at one of the biggest steelworks in the world is shutting down, leaving it unable to make its own virgin steel. Nearly 2,000 jobs will be lost at Tata Steel UK’s Port Talbot plant as blast furnace number four ceases production.

The UK's biggest steelworks - a factory where steel is made using traditional methods - has shut down production after more than 100 years, leading to thousands of job losses across South Wales.

The Welsh First Minister has defended the UK Government’s efforts in negotiating a better deal for workers at Tata Steel.