Bird-watchers are flocking to see thousands of starlings as they perform a "mesmerising" aerial show above the West Pier every evening, a wildlife charity said today.

As many as 40,000 starlings are expected to flock to Brighton over the next month as they prepare to roost for the winter.

At dusk every evening they can be seen flying in large swirling group formations in a unique phenomenon known as murmuration.

Starlings flock over the West Pier

The RSPB has set up a viewing platform to enable bird watchers to get a better look at the birds as they dive in and out of the pier, which was gutted by fire in 2003.

Chris Woolner, RSPB South East project officer, said: "Brighton is famous for this amazing spectacle of nature and people come from miles to watch.

"It really is a mesmerising experience and when you stand on the pier as the flock sweeps towards and around you, you feel like you are part of it."

Staff and volunteers will be available at various points on Brighton and Hove seafront during the afternoons until December 20. The RSPB is also asking people to send in their own video footage and photos of the iconic event.

Despite the large numbers seen in Brighton in winter, the UK starling population is in decline, with numbers plummeting by two thirds since the 1970s. The bird is now red listed as a Species of Conservation Concern.