The famous and historic Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare has been destroyed this morning by a fire believed to have originated from a kitchen on the pier. The inferno started at around 7:00am and has flames going hundreds of feet into the air.

Reports say that the smoke can be seen as far away as Cardiff across the River Severn. Local residents of the North Somerset seaside town say that they are sad to see such an focal point of the town going up in smoke.

The pier was only just revamped in April following its recent sale earlier this year but the quarter mile long pier has been in existence since 1904. With so much history it is a sad end to a piece of Weston-super-Mare history.