An MP has given a "now or never" warning in the battle to save Brighton's collapsing West Pier.

Ivor Caplin is backing plans to restore the Grade I listed pier to its former glory and is urging Brighton and Hove city councillors to approve the scheme.

The council's planning committee meets on February 26 to consider a controversial project which could help pay for its restoration.

The plans, drawn up by architects St Modwen for the West Pier Trust, include buildings at the shore-end to provide restaurants and other leisure facilities.

Campaigners from Save Our Seafront are against developing the shoreline, claiming it will ruin the look of the seafront.

But the Hove MP says time is running out for the West Pier since the concert hall started to collapse during storms on December 29.

He said any further delays could see the pier totally destroyed by bad weather.

Mr Caplin said: "It is now time for the city to make up its mind.

"Do we want to see the West Pier open and returned to its former glory or abandoned to rot and fall away?

"My view is that we have reached the stage where we have a now or never opportunity.

"After extensive local consultation, the proposals for the shore-end development needed to make the pier financially viable have been revised.

"The pier has been derelict for far too long now and work needs to start to create a development that everyone associated with the city can be proud of for many years to come."