Firefighters tackle pier blaze

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A spokeswoman said Fleetwood Pier was on fire and 10 fire engines were at the scene.

"Fleetwood pier is alight. It is a serious incident. There are 10 fire engines, plus a major incident support unit, a mobile fire station and two aerial ladder platforms," she said.

The fire follows a blaze on July 28 which destroyed most of the 104-year-old Grand Pier at Weston-super-Mare.

Its owners Kerry and Michelle Michael vowed to restore the Grade II listed structure in Somerset to its former glory.

The pavilion in Weston was destroyed in just over 90 minutes although a walkway near to the road survived and was reopened to the public days later.

Sheila Grace, 60, who was born in Fleetwood and owns the nearby Sandpipers Hotel on the Esplanade, spoke of her sadness at seeing the pier on fire.

She said: "There is a lot of smoke and some fire engines. The pier has been in some disrepair for a while. I know things have changed, but it was the jewel in Fleetwood's crown, everybody headed there and everybody knew it, and in the last few years it has been just nothing."

Lancashire Police said the fire was currently "unexplained" and an investigation will be launched.

But officers cannot begin their inquiry yet as the pier is still in flames, and the operation to put out the blaze could take all day.