Clean up where end of pier shows through
CONTRACTORS have been removing ironwork from the former Hunstanton pier which had become exposed and was posing a potential hazard to swimmers and water sports users.
Concerned about the risk off the beach at Hunstanton, West Norfolk Council called in the contractors, who removed the pieces of metal in about six hours using a mini-digger and a dumper truck.
The ironwork structures collapsed on the night of January 11, 1978, when waves whipped up by high tides and 70mph winds ripped away the main part of the pier during a trail of destruction around the West Norfolk coast.
A council spokesman explained that recent sand movements had led to the ironwork on the seaward side of the groynes becoming exposed.
"From time to time various structures and materials become visible on the beach because the sand continually moves and, ordinarily, no action is taken," she said.
"However, we have been monitoring this particular situation since February and due to the sheer volume of material that had become visible, we engaged contractors to go on site to look at what could be removed.
"Beach patrol staff will continue to advise people not to climb on any structures in the area, including the groynes, because of potential hazards."
Hunstanton man John Maiden, a member of the National Piers Society, said the ironwork was from cross-braces which ran from one side of the 16ft-wide pier to the other, about 100 yards out from the promenade.
"The pierhead was about 870ft out to sea from where the pavilion stands, so these braces were about one-third of the way along the pier," he said.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for King's Lynn
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
