A report in December warned the pier was at risk in bad weather

The columns at the seaward end of the Victorian structure in East Sussex were damaged during recent bad weather.

Safety precautions have been put in place and the affected areas closed to the public, Hastings council said.

Winds of up to 80mph were recorded in the English Channel as storms, moving in from the Atlantic, battered the South East coast on Monday.

'Ferocious winds'

A spokesman for Hastings Borough Council said: "It was very disappointing to learn of the damage caused to the pier by the storm on Monday, although not really surprising, given the ferocity of the winds, the state of the sea, and the condition of parts of the pier.

"I must stress that the damage that has been seen is at the far, seaward, end of the pier, well beyond the area currently open to the public.

"Stylus Sports, the operators of the bingo, are obviously aware of the damage and are strengthening the barriers to prevent access to these areas of increased concern."

A structural survey in December found that the pier was at high risk of being damaged in heavy weather.

It said the structure was threatened by corrosive salt spray, and a lack of rigidity also put it at risk if was hit by a vessel or extreme storms and tides.