A huge chunk of the West Pier in Brighton has fallen into the sea - but campaigners fighting to restore the derelict structure say they'll fight on.

A Sussex Police spokesman said there was a danger that more of the pier could crash into the sea today because winds were strong and the sea was choppy. High tide was due at about 7.30pm.

Earlier this month, members of the West Pier Trust - which wants to save the Grade I listed pier - had warned that time was running out. Guided tours were cancelled after engineers said the structure was unsafe.

A police spokeswoman said council officers were at the scene trying to clear debris from the beach. No one is thought to have been injured.

The pier has been in a state of disrepair for many years and has suffered structural damage on other occasions.

There has been a long-running campaign to renovate it with backing from the National Lottery.

Solent Coastguard said that a unit was standing by near the pier to warn passing boats of debris in the water.

Plans to save the pier, which closed in 1975, were expected to go before Brighton and Hove councillors early in the New Year.

Dr Geoff Lockwood, chief executive of the West Pier Trust, said the temporary walkway connecting the concert hall and the pavilion had collapsed.

This had been installed by engineers in 1998 to help strengthen the structure.

He said some of the original poles holding the concert hall in place had also fallen into the sea.

This had left part of the hall hanging precariously at a 30-degree angle towards the sea.

Dr Lockwood said the trust's engineers had been predicting such a sudden collapse for months.

He said: "What we don't know is what will happen now - it is a grand old structure and it has survived for a long time so it might be OK.

"Unfortunately, the engineers can't get out there to have a look until the New Year so we won't know how bad the damage is until then."

He said even if the concert hall fell into the sea, it would not stop the £30 million restoration project continuing.