BEACHGOERS have been warned a historic breakwater could collapse again if extreme weather batters the seafront.

Chunks of Brighton’s 140-year-old Albion Groyne collapsed into the sea on Saturday, leading Brighton and Hove City Council to cordon off the area.

Now the city council has warned “adverse weather” could cause the breakwater to collapse again.

It comes as the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning in Brighton for heavy rain.

“It should be stressed that if there is more adverse weather, such as strong northerly winds or high tides, there is a risk of further failure and subsequent falling debris,” a city council spokesman said.

But repair work on the groyne will not start until next year.

Heritage expert Jeremy Mustoe called the breakwater’s collapse “a bit of a shock”.

The Brighton Society chairman called on the city council to restore the Albion Groyne as close to its original appearance as possible.

“I certainly didn’t expect this to happen,” he said.

“It’s a Victorian structure and they do sometimes suddenly fall apart under extreme weather conditions.

“It happened to the West Pier and it has happened to Madeira Terraces too because of poor maintenance.

“It’s just another aspect of continuing attacks on the seafront by nature.”

Mr Mustoe said the flint walls of the breakwater looked weak.

“The shingle from the beach has spilled all over the top of the groyne, which must weaken it a bit,” he said.

“The flint construction of the upper part is a rather weak structure.”

Albion Groyne was built in the 1880s and is protected by Historic England.

Brighton and Hove City Council said inspectors had made the breakwater safe.

But the southern end of the groyne will remain cordoned off for the foreseeable future.

“After assessing the damage on Monday, a semi-permanent pedestrian barrier has been erected at the southern end of the groyne to prohibit access,” a spokesman said.

“Any loose masonry has been removed from the remaining flint parapet and made safe, as far as is practical.

“All precaution has been taken to prevent any further failure of the parapet.

“Repair of the groyne will be undertaken in the new year.”

The destruction of the groyne follows months of extreme weather on the Brighton seafront, including high winds and rain.