MEP praises £2m makeover for pier

Southend Pier is the longest in the world

Visitors to a leading east coast resort are benefiting from £2m worth of improvements to an historic pier.

Richard Howitt, MEP for Essex, campaigned for cash from Europe to help improve Southend Pier as the centre-piece of the resort's attractions.

The £2m of European Union money was spent bringing the pier up to standard and boosting its features.

He said: "Families and elderly people especially now have better access to pier, seafront and resort amenities."

"The pier will continue to be an attraction everyone can be very proud of indeed."

At 7,080ft (2,145m) the seaside resort's pier is the longest in the world.

The improvements include a new pier entrance and a raised bridge to allow double-decker buses to pass underneath.