Celebrities and Brighton's well-known faces spoke of their shock and sadness as news broke of the Palace Pier fire.

Actress Dora Bryan, who lives on Brighton seafront, watched the drama from her window.

She said: "It is terribly upsetting. A neighbour phoned me. She said, 'Quickly, look out the window'.

"It looked like a pier lit up. It just looked like a big fire at the end of the pier. It looked like an explosion going up high into the sky. I just hope no one was hurt."

Horror author James Herbert used to work in television advertising and said he made some commercials on the Palace Pier.

He said: "It is a terrible shame. As a kid when I travelled down we would always go on the pier. I feel very nostalgical about it.

"The council messed around with the West Pier for so many years. Whatever the damage is to the Palace Pier, it must be rebuilt. They must restore whatever they can."

The Bill actor Chris Ellison was about to watch Brighton and Hove Albion play at Withdean when a friend phoned to tell him the news. He said word soon spread around the stadium.

He said: "It is a tragedy. There have been enough bad things happening in Brighton, what with the West Pier. I hope the damage is not too bad."

Des Turner, Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown, said: "I am very sad my pier has been badly damaged. Presumably it has not affected the actual structure of the pier. I hope that is undamaged.

"It was a thriving pier. It may be a blessing in disguise. It might present an opportunity to put back the theatre on the Palace Pier which Noble had agreed to restore years ago."

Writer and actor Simon Fanshawe watched the blaze through binoculars from his seafront home.

He said: "It is terrible. Brighton without both piers is unimaginable. This is such a great opportunity for the Palace Pier and the West Pier to join forces and make sure that both of them get better."

John Small of the Regency Society said: "I am naturally sorry to hear it. I hope it will be restorable."

Lord Bassam of Brighton was council leader for 13 years and saw the launch of the Seafront Development Initiative (SDI) in 1991.

He said: "This is obviously an appalling disaster. I hope the money will be found to reinvest in the Palace Pier, restoring it to its commercial glory.

"A city without two piers in unthinkable. Both the West Pier and Palace Pier are a important features of local life and everybody who lives in Brighton knows how crucial they have been in creating out vibrant, thriving city."