Brighton West Pier collapses during Storm Austen

A section of Brighton’s historic West Pier collapsed into the sea on 23 October 2026 as Storm Austen battered the south coast of England. Video footage shows large waves striking the derelict iron framework, causing a portion of the right-hand side to fall into the water.

The Grade I-listed structure has been derelict since 1975 and has faced significant deterioration due to previous storms and two major arson attacks in 2003. Professor Fred Grey of the West Pier Trust noted that the ruins are “ever-changing” and predicted the structure will eventually disappear beneath the waves.

Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, has caused widespread disruption across the region. In the South West, over 31,000 homes lost power, while in Sussex, a power outage affected a local reservoir, prompting Southern Water to arrange bottled water deliveries as a precaution.