Southport Pier closed after damage caused by freezing temperatures

Freezing temperatures have caused "significant and unavoidable damage" to the pier, Sefton Council said

Southport Pier has closed "until further notice" after extreme cold weather damaged the decking boards.

Freezing temperatures have caused "significant and unavoidable damage" to the pier, Sefton Council said.

A build-up of ice from coastal winds has also made the surface "treacherous underfoot", a spokesman said.

"While we do not take this decision lightly, the temporary closure of Southport Pier is wholly necessary to keep people safe," he said.

Since it was built in 1860, the pier - the second longest in the UK - has fallen victim to incredibly powerful storm damage, boat crashes and numerous fires.

In 2018, extensive repairs and repainting works were carried out by Sefton Council to the pier's steelwork to combat corrosion from the sea.

The authority plans to replace more than 53 miles of decking boards along the structure as part of a £3m refurbishment project.