A fire on a Sussex pier sparked a full-scale evacuation at the weekend.

More than 100 people were cleared from a nightclub on Eastbourne pier when a neon sign above the entrance to a bar caught fire.

The blaze spread quickly to a wooden facade on the landmark Victorian structure as security guards launched a pre-planned evacuation procedure.

At one point more than 25 firefighters tackled the fire that threatened to break into the Atlantis nightclub, covered by the pier's historic dome.

Eastbourne's inshore lifeboat was also sent to the scene, as well as an ambulance crew.

The fire, which began at 10.15pm on Friday, was brought under control 45 minutes later.

There were no injuries and damage was minor, although the nightclub and surrounding shops were affected by water from the brigade's pumps.

Assistant Divisional Officer Frank Davis, district fire safety officer for Eastbourne and Hastings, said: "It could have been much, much worse.

"There is a lot of wood out there and because it is so exposed it could have spread very quickly.

"However, the pier's evacuation operation worked

perfectly and everyone in the nightclub was out quickly."

The club did not reopen.

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