High winds brought entrants in the annual Bognor Birdman contest up short, but there was no stopping the wacky, winged pier divers.

The foolhardy contestants strapped themselves into their magnificent flying machines as they leapt from the pier in winds of up to 18 knots.

Some of the zanier entries to land in the sea included a giant butterfly which nose-dived spectacularly with its pilot Dick Chitolie.

American entrant Curt Rogers travelled from Massachusetts for the event, now in its 24th year.

He donned high heels and jumped into the sea with a machine, which resembled a red rooster.

Bognor resident David Bradshaw, who holds the record for the longest jump at 89 metres in 1992, was thought to be a strong contender.

But the strong winds meant his hang-glider took him only 16 metres from the pier.

The winner of the coveted Bognor Birdman title was Ron Freeman, from Northumberland, who won last year.

He travelled 37.7 metres from the pier in winds of 17 knots and was airborne for 9.8 seconds.

Mr Freeman said: "I kept my cool. I knew what I was capable of doing. It was totally exhilarating."