Brighton's West Pier Collapses into English Channel
Source reports published 23 Oct 2026, 11:03 pm – 24 Oct 2026, 9:37 am AEST
A section of Brighton’s historic West Pier collapsed into the English Channel due to Storm Austen. The structure, already significantly damaged by storms and fires, continues to deteriorate and is predicted to eventually disappear beneath the waves.
What happened
- Part of Brighton’s historic West Pier collapsed into the sea during Storm Austen.
- Footage showed the landmark falling into the water as it was battered by large waves.
- Professor Fred Grey, an honorary historian at the West Pier Trust, stated that Storm Austen had caused more of the pier to collapse, noting that the structure had been ‘whittled away by nature’ since the 2003 arson attacks.
- Grey cautioned observers to maintain a safe distance and watch the ongoing battle between the pier and the elements.
- National Grid reported that over 31,000 homes in the South West were still without power, with engineers restoring power to more than 52,000 properties.
- Southern Water deployed tankers to address a power cut affecting a reservoir in Sussex, and National Rail reported a tree blocking a railway line at Stansted Mountfitchet, causing disruption to journeys to London Stansted Airport.
- The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of resilience and preparedness, citing the increasing frequency of unexpected events and potential winter flooding risks.
Original reporting
- BBC: Watch: Moment part of Brighton's historic West Pier collapses
2026-10-23T13:03:29.662000+00:00 - GB News: Part of historic pier collapses into English Channel as Storm Austen batters Britain
2026-10-23T23:37:13+00:00