Nearby residents are concerned about safety after Glasgow Housing Association failed to bring down the notorious Red Road flats

Bosses at Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) have apologised over a botched demolition which left two of Glasgow's most iconic tower blocks still standing.

Residents were left reeling after the social landlord issued a statement suggesting there was no danger after two of the six multi-storey flats were left half demolished after their destruction on Sunday.

Up to 2,500 people who had to leave their homes in the Barmulloch and Balornock areas were delayed from returning to their properties.

Many said they feared the safety and stability of the remaining blocks.

Crowds had gathered to witness the spectacle, which is part of GHA’s plan to regenerate communities across the city and will see thousands of new homes built.

About 2,500 people were evacuated, with members of the public kept around 1,000 feet away from the spectacle.

But as the explosions were set off, two remained half standing, lurching in what seemed to be a precarious manner.

Now GHA has admitted they got it wrong and issued an apology.

A GHA spokesman said: "The original plan was that 10 floors of the blocks would remain for dismantling, post blowdown, by machine.

they’ve made themselves into a laughing stock

“However, this did not go completely to plan.

"Over the next few days the contractors, Safedem, will carry out a review to determine the best way of now completing the demolition.

"We sincerely apologise to everyone involved for this delay and any additional inconvenience caused."

One resident, Barrie Andrews, who campaigned against plans to demolish the towers as part of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, said the handling of the demolition was “ludicrous”.

“It’s been fenced off and looks anything like a controlled demolition,” he said. “After all that planning they got it wrong. They should just admit they messed up.

“Instead they (GHA) are trying to say it was just bit wrong, that a few floors were meant to remain. They’ve made themselves into a laughing stock.”

The towers, which were once home to about 5,000 people, have seen two previous demolition in 2012 and 2013.

Local MSP Patricia Ferguson said she had been assured the two remaining blocks were stable.

"I do think we need to find out why it didn't work, and speaking to GHA I have been reassured that there will be an independent inquiry into why that is the case," she said.

Editor of demolitionnews.com, Mark Antony, said demolitions frequently didn’t go to plan.

"A lot of the time when you are taking down a building it is by explosive or mechanical means and you haven't got a lot of information on how these structures were built,” he said.

"So if you are relying on gravity all it would take is an exceptionally strong part of that building and it will hold it together.

"We have seen these around the world, where literally the entire building has stayed upright and it has made no difference at all."