Firefighters are tackling a massive blaze on the pier at Weston-super-Mare. Early reports suggest that the grade two monument, which is 104 years old, may already be beyond repair.

Dee Williams, deputy manager of the Grand Atlantic Hotel, which lies 200 yards from the pier, said: “I am watching it now and I think it is going to collapse. It is an inferno. There will be no pier by tonight.

“There are loud bangs going off, which could be fireworks because there was a display on there recently. The tide is out and I think they are having difficulty getting water to it.

“My night porter spotted the flames at 7.15am. There are lots of people about, watching the fire, and the police have blocked off the road. The pier was bought by new owners and done up recently, it is part of our identity and would really affect trade if we were to lose it.”

Jacquie Whelan, owner of Sunfold Hotel on Beach Road, said:

“I just looked out of the window about ten minutes ago when I woke up and could not believe what I was seeing. It is the most horrendous thing. They are massive red flames, hundreds of feet in the air, all over the pier.

“We are a five-minute walk to the pier, and from where I am standing it just looks like a huge bonfire. It is not going to survive.”

When asked if the blaze was believed to be suspicious, a spokeswoman for the Fire and Rescue service said: “It is obviously a matter which will be referred to by the fire investigators.

“The seriousness of the incident is not known at present but there are no reports of any injuries.”

Donna Hill, senior carer at The Royal Air Forces Association, a respite centre opposite the pier, said: “It is so sad. There are people everywhere and so many are in tears.

“It has just been refurbished. They opened a new go-kart track and a bar inside the pier, and they had only just finished. We have had a great few weeks, with all the sunshine, a helicopter day and the music festival T4 On the Beach, but now everybody is in despair.

“There is nothing left of the pier. What else have we got? It was beautiful, it was our landmark.”

Andrew Horler, mayor of the town, said the blaze had destroyed the “heartbeat” of Weston.

He said: “I really, really hope it can be rebuilt - it’s pure devastation for the town. It provides jobs and and is a massive tourist attraction. I really hope someone is able to rebuild it.

“It is the very heartbeat of this town. And now it’s destroyed.”

In February, the pier was bought in a multimillion-pound deal by entrepreneurs Michelle and Kerry Michael.

The Michael family had already spent hundreds of thousands of pounds as part of a regeneration of the site, including a new funfair and go-kart track.

The new owners also planned to open restaurants and offer Victorian-style shows.

Are you in Weston-super-Mare? Have you taken pictures of the fire? Text them to Times Online on 86626 with your full name - we will credit all photographs used.

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