Campaigners have hailed a milestone victory in the battle for Hastings Pier after being awarded a lottery grant.

The Victorian pier was almost completely destroyed in an arson attack on October 5 last year.

The Hastings Pier and White Rock Trust said the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) was a “green light” of support for their bid to save the structure.

An £8.75 million bid to help restore the pier, which has played host to musical greats such as Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley and Pink Floyd, has received initial backing.

The trust has been awarded £357,400 to develop its restoration plans in an attempt to secure the funding.

Hastings MP Amber Rudd said the award was “great news” for the town.

She said: “The pier has been like a symbol of decay in the middle of town and now it is a symbol for change, hope and regeneration. This is a fantastic result for the people of Hastings.”

There were fears that if HLF turned down the bid outright, the trust would not have been able to find the money to restore the damaged pier.

Angela Davis, the trustee who led the application said: “We are absolutely delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund is supporting our project. This news strengthens our resolve to continue working with Hastings Borough Council to secure the pier’s ownership so we can deliver the vision of an iconic pier for Hastings.”

The project will involve restoring the substructure, deck and railings and redeveloping the above deck.