Thirteen-year-old Luke Rudd wants to see the crumbling Felixstowe Pier in Suffolk restored to its former glory.

The pier, built at the turn of the century, once stretched for half a mile and was a focal point of the town.

Unsafe

It was re-built during the 1940s but now almost all of it is closed to the public because it is in a poor state of repair and is unsafe.

Luke's scheme to raise money involves getting locals and visitors to pay £25 to have their names and messages engraved on a plaque and attached to a new plank of wood.

Luke: Fund-raising idea

He said: "I think people could buy them as they come on holidays here. The people around Felixstowe could buy them as well."

Luke hopes his idea will help boost efforts being made by the trust, which runs the pier to gather the funds to re-build it.

The plan is to demolish it, and build a new one, hopefully with the help of a National Lottery grant.

Lottery bid

Luke's idea has been welcomed by the trust. A lottery bid is being put together, but it could take a number of years.

Felixstowe's Deputy Mayor Malcolm Minns said: "It's particularly good because it's come from a younger member of the town.

"I think we must listen to the younger people because we're planning for their future in Felixstowe, and we would welcome any other ideas from the younger residents."