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A vision of post-apocalypse Britain? Eerie computer-generated images reveal how UK landmarks could crumble and decay if humanity was wiped out

Computer programmers produce stunning digital make-under of some of Britain’s most famous landmarks

John Hall
Thursday 13 June 2013 00:37 BST
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Gone are the neat flowerbeds, the clipped verges and the elaborate decor.

After years of neglect, the once glorious Buckingham Palace is now little more than a shell; a crumbling royal residence that looks more like a long-abandoned medieval ruin than the grand home of Elizabeth II.

This is, of course, pure make-believe.

But thanks to the work of computer programmers from Sony’s PlayStation team, we are now able to glimpse how iconic British buildings might look if humanity was wiped out by a pandemic and they were left to rot.

Click here to view more images of the crumbling, overgrown and decaying UK landmarks

Brighton’s famous pier is seen falling to the sea, while an ominous green fog surrounds Battersea Power Station, which has also started mysteriously billowing black smoke.

Liverpool’s Albert Docks are overgrown mess, the Mersey River filled with debris and the surrounding buildings damaged by semi-feral vandals.

Commuters would have a hard time crossing Bristol’s Clifton Suspension Bridge: the famous overpass is shown missing most of its structure, while another iconic flyover, the Clyde Arc in Glasgow, is covered with grass.

Glasgow itself looks like an ominous, warlike place; looming large behind the famous Arc, mysterious fires can be seen emanating from the city, its suburbs filled with decaying tower blocks and grim industrial works.

The depressing scenes continue at the chapel within the University of Cambridge’s King’s College. The overgrown lawn, smashed windows and crumbling ruins are a perfect match for the dark and foreboding sky.

Finally, the Angel of the North has started to decay beyond repair; its wings bent under the weight of a thick layer of foliage, and the surrounding fields strewn with abandoned vehicles.

The stunning digital make-under of Britain’s most famous landmarks coincides with the release of post-apocalypse video game The Last of Us.

As in the game itself, the images depict a Britain abandoned for 20 years after a poisonous fungus has wiped-out almost all the world’s population, leaving nature to gradually reclaim towns and cities.

The Last of Us is released on Friday on the PlayStation 3 console.

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