Worthing Pier was forced to close once again on New Year’s Day after the Met Office predicted “dangerously high winds” along the West Sussex coast.

The move comes just weeks after the landmark was reopened to the public following two months of emergency repair works following earlier storm damage.

“Unfortunately we’re not going to be able to open Worthing Pier on New Year’s Day, as dangerously high winds are forecast to hit Worthing and the south coast,” said an Adur and Worthing Councils spokesperson.

“The Met Office has forecast that we’ll have very strong winds all day, including gusts of 65mph, which would make it very difficult to walk along the pier safely. For context, that’s gusts of a similar strength that we had during Storm Darragh a few weeks ago.”

“We understand this will be disappointing to those planning to visit the pier but safety remains our top priority. We expect to be able to open the pier again on Thursday, 2 January.”