Eastbourne Pier fire: Before, during and after

Fire consumed a large part of Eastbourne's pier on Wednesday, destroying a significant section of the historic Victorian structure.

The pier has been a major attraction in Eastbourne since its official opening in 1870.

Before, during and after

During its lifetime the pier has featured, among other things, docking facilities for paddle steamers, a ballroom, a theatre, a music pavilion and a camera obscura.

It was damaged by a mine during World War II, suffered a fire in 1970, and also received storm damage during the hurricane of October 1987.

The pier has also appeared in a number of films and TV programmes, often standing in for Brighton.