End of the pier?

60 feet of Bognor Regis' most famous attraction has been swept into the sea

Sussex Police spokesman Sgt Howard Hodges has confirmed the loss of 60ft of one of Britain's best-loved attractrions to the sea.

Sussex Police spokesman Sgt Howard Hodges has confirmed the loss of 60ft of one of Britain's best-loved attractrions to the sea.

The end of the pier at Bognor Regis was washed away during last night's storms. Nobody was injured as the end of pier, thought to date from 1866, is shut because it is in a run-down condition.

Police did evacuate a snooker hall and amusement arcade on the near end of the pier and it is now completely sealed off.

A health and safety officer from Arun District Council will inspect the privately-owned pier tomorrow morning, Sgt Hodges said.

He added: "There were staff and members of the public on the main body of the pier but there have been no reports of any injuries."

The pier's owner of three years John Ayers said he would be opening the pier for business as usual tomorrow morning.

He said: "I think this has all been exaggerated. It is only the end that has gone, and that's been closed anyway."

The floods came nearly a year to the day since the severe flooding in October 1998 and were caused by a combination of gale-force winds, low pressure and an equinox tide.

Environment Agency spokeswoman, Ms Hyman, said a red flood warning had been issued for Selsey in West Sussex, where sea defences were breached today.