A Walkden company won a contract from British Antarctic Survey to design and manufacture a prefabricated operations tower.

The 38ft high structure is bound for Rothera Research Station on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Rothwell Robinson Ltd of Holyoake Road used a structural steel frame supplied by a nearby company, John Howard & Sons (Walkden) Ltd.

The frame supports prefabricated floor and wall panels. Structural design work is by F G Markland Associates of Bolton.

Mr Steve White from BAS inspected the frame in Walkden.

The tower is to be taken to Antarctica - via the Falkland Islands - on ships leaving Southampton during February and March.

It will incorporate air traffic control facilities for a crushed rock airstrip which replaced an ice ski-way in 1993/94.

The tower has been designed to allow easy and rapid erection on site by a small labour force.

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