Retiring from his role as caretaker in 2000, Danny moved to Nottinghamshire, but returned to North Lanarkshire this week to change the skyline forever.
Three of Motherwell’s most recognisable high-rise blocks – Allan, Coursington and Draffen Towers were demolished in a controlled blowdown just before noon today, Sunday, December 7 2025.
Now a very sprightly 91-year-old, he was full of emotion as he sat down to speak with the Glasgow Times after pushing the button to bring down over 50 years of housing history.
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Danny, who is the brother of the late singer Sydney Devine, explained that when the towers were first built, there was a “waiting list” to secure a flat.
He said: “They were hand‑picked tenants for the tower, you know.
“You had to be something special to live in the tower – community living.
“You had to be an exceptional tenant, I would say.”
Danny spoke warmly of life in the towers, recalling “a lot of good times” and “a lot of happy memories” built around a strong community spirit.
He remembered darts and bowling clubs, a local social club, trips abroad and outings to the cinema, all of which contributed to what he called “quite a good community” made up of “a lot of nice people.”
He said it was “quite emotional, really” seeing them fall, and that the sight brought up “a lot of mixed memories, all the joys and the mishaps,” however, he decided not to share any insider tales.
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Local schoolboy Joseph Carroll, 9, joined Danny in pushing the button.
Joseph was selected after being a “fan” of Draffen Tower and documenting its demolition as part of a school project, which he affectionately called “the windy tower.”
Danny said he enjoyed sharing the experience with Joseph and that he was “such a nice boy.”
He agreed that the towers earned their nickname, he explained: “The windy towers, there was always strong wind at the towers.
“The wind was a gale at the towers, you know.
“It seemed to catch the wind, and there were a few accidents with the wind, actually.
“There were a lot of sore faces, people getting blown into the school wall.”
Joseph’s mum was proudly by his side for the occasion and explained how he became part of the demolition crew.
She said: “He was quite attached to Draffen Tower – the windy tower – and after residents’ meetings about the demolition, he even did a solo talk and PowerPoint about it at school, so when the council heard about that they phoned a couple of weeks ago and invited him to be involved in the demolition and press the button.”
Joseph described the experience as “really cool” and couldn’t wait to review the footage from a camera they had left in their house, which looked directly onto where the towers once stood.
Danny added that much had changed in Motherwell since he left 25 years ago, but thought that it was time the high-rises came down.
He said: “It came as a big surprise, actually – so many changes and new buildings, but it’ll be good to see the spot used for new homes.”
Many former residents had reached out to Danny ahead of the demolition, and had met one man today.
He explained, “I met Steve Burn, who was in Coursington Tower. I used to chase him when he was a boy,” with a laugh, but added that he was “sure he deserved to be chased.”
Draffen Tower was completed in 1969, while the Allan and Coursington Towers were finished a year later in 1970.
The 20-storey blocks stood at 58m (190ft) tall and each housed 117 flats.
Plans to demolish the towers were first put forward for the spring of 2022, but were delayed due to a technical issue.
North Lanarkshire Council has a 25-year plan to knock down all 48 high-rise blocks across the local authority area.
It wants to build about 5,000 new homes to replace them.
