I sympathise with the West Pier Trust's chief executive Dr Geoff Lockwood over the demise of the pier.

However, should he not at least offer the donated funds towards immediate demolition of the remaining derelict and potentially dangerous eyesore?

As a structural engineer with experience on North Sea oil platforms, Ventnor pier and Shoreham lifeboat station, I believe the pier could have been saved.

However, apart from the underwater surveys and some repairs to the substructure in 2000, not much obvious remedial or on-site preparative work seems to have been done since.

Due to the old age and long-term neglect of the pier, the engineers could have dismantled the buildings and made new copies of their component parts, especially of the decorative embellishments.

It is unlikely that for such works highly detailed drawings would have been produced in 1865, with much reliance placed on the skills of the labour force to create the final result onsite, using basic scheme drawings.

Despite all the publicity for a likely successful outcome, two of the trust's private partners dropped out since the National Lottery grant of £13 million was announced.

However, according to The Argus (February 1, 2001) the Heritage Lottery Fund transferred this money to the new partnership of the West Pier Trust and property firm St Modwen, which owns Brighton Racecourse.

Considering St Modwen's announcement of record profits for the six months to May 31, 2001 (The Argus, July 31, 2001) as well as the donated funds held by the West Pier Trust, they could at least pay for demolition of the pier.

Finally, a public inquiry should examine the whole sad affair.

-M Castleman, Hassocks