Seaward end of Bognor Pier removed

Workmen were on site early this morning to take advantage of a low tide.

They removed some 60ft of decking from the end of the seaward section of the pier.

Pier manager Angie Edlin, speaking on behalf of owner John Ayers, said: "Three bays were taken away. Nothing could be done to save them.

"The contractors came down yesterday to have a look.

"They could have removed the bay that was in the worst condition and hoped the other two would be all right.

"But it was decided to do what had to be done with all three bays while all the equipment was here.

"It's a bit sad really and a bit of a blow."

The columns which were removed were those put back after the Second World War had seen the pier chopped in half.

The replacements were different to those which have survived the waves and storm since the pier was built in 1865.

The end of the pier has been fenced off for at least the past month because of the deteriorating metalwork underneath the decking .

Mrs Edlin said: "At the end of the day, the removal of that section of the pier is all about public safety.

"Arun District Council was concerned, and we were concerned about people walking underneath the pier when there was a low tide in the middle of the day.

"There's nothing we could do to stop them but there was a risk some of the pier could have collapsed on them."

Mr Ayres spent 50,000 just five years ago on that section of the pier.

He has paid out hundreds of thousands of pounds keeping the pier's landward section open since he bought the historic structure in June 1996.

"If more work had been done on the seaward end of the pier before John bought it, we may well not have lost this section or that section that went in the storm."

This was the last part of the pier to be claimed by the elements in October 1999.

The total length of the pier could now be done to about 350ft, an accurate measurement has yet to be made.

This is little more than a third of its original length.

Mrs Edlin said what remained of the pier would be fully opened after the workmen had finished carrying out some repairs to supporting metalwork.

She had warned the Bognor International Birdman organisers that work was likely to take place.

"I can't see the loss of this section will make any difference to the Birdman," she said. "But the organisers will have to come down and make some measurements to see if it can still be held."

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