Derelict Birnbeck Pier reaches 150th milestone

In 1867, Birnbeck Pier opened in Weston-super-Mare. It is the only pier in the UK which links the mainland to an island and used to be a stopping off point for steamers heading up and down the Bristol Channel.

However, it was closed to the public in 1994 on safety grounds and has remained shut since then.

Various plans for its restoration have come to nothing, and now there are more fears for the future of the pier.