Edwardian cliffside railway reopens in Hastings

The East Hill Lift has been repaired and refurbished

A cliffside funicular railway in East Sussex which has been shut for two years has been reopened.

Hastings Borough Council closed the East Hill Lift in 2007 for repairs and refurbishment following a crash.

The existing fibreglass carriages have been replaced with wooden ones that match the original design but have space for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

Actor Steve Furst, who has appeared in TV show Little Britain, and Hastings' mayor opened the railway on Saturday.

An Edwardian-themed day has been held to mark the occasion.

The 267ft (81m) lift, the steepest working funicular railway in the UK, was built in 1902 and officially opened in April 1903.

It was closed when one of the cars crashed into the station at the base of the cliff after its brakes failed as it was a few feet from its destination.