Great view, but tricky to pop out for lunch

Shard crane operator John Young has discovered it's lonely at the top.

Mr Young, 49, is the lead driver of the 1,040ft crane now putting the finishing touches to the landmark London Bridge tower.

"It is a lonely existence," he said. "One needs to be happy with one's own company. You need to apply full concentration all the time. You've got to be the eyes and ears of those on the ground, or on the building."

The father of two, who returns to his family in Liverpool at weekends, heads the three-man team completing the last 23 floors of the 95-storey, 1,020ft Shard of Glass. When complete next summer, it will be the tallest tower in Europe.

Mr Young said: "I'm very proud that we are helping to deliver such an iconic building. I never tire of the view. It's breathtaking. On a clear day, I can see planes land at Heathrow to the west, and occasionally even ships in the Channel to the east. "This is some of the highest work ever done in the history of crane driving."