
Repairs to Sunderland's storm-hit Roker Pier under way
Repair work on a pier badly damaged by Storm Babet in October 2023 is now under way.The Grade II listed Roker Pier in Sunderland has been off limits to the public after 300ft (100m) of railings were washed away and some of the path at the pier head broke off.The council said the scheme was costing in the region of £236,000 and it was aiming to reopen the site by the end of July.The work will include replacing corroded and missing steel components, repairing concrete and fixing the decking, railings and support structures.
Councillor Kevin Johnston, portfolio holder for business, housing and regeneration, described the damage as significant, adding it had been difficult to assess during winter months with planning processes then adding to the timescale."Hopefully over a 12-week period we can get the pier open for everyone to enjoy," Johnston said."We've had to wait for the right season for them to take place. Even in May the winds are quite strong."Benjamin Leng, senior project manager for South Bay Civil Engineering which is carrying out the repairs, said new coping stones and pavement would be drilled into the existing concrete structure to "anchor" them and prevent them being washed away by future storms.
Walkers have previously been warned to stay off the pier after a gate lock was cut open.Dozens of people were seen wandering along the structure shortly after Christmas.
Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
9 hours ago
- BBC News
Wild swimmers in the South West prepare for Strawberry Moon dip
A full Strawberry Moon will grace UK skies tonight, coupled with a rare phenomenon not to be seen for almost 20 in the northern hemisphere already spotted an almost full moon sitting very low in the sky on Tuesday, but the full peak of the moon will appear later. BBC Weather presenter Sophia Herod said the Strawberry Moon would be "the lowest full moon until 2043" and may appear wild swimmers around Devon and Cornwall are preparing to take a dip outside under the moonlight to embrace the "magical" full moon experience. Matt Newbury, who runs monthly full moon swims in Paignton said he would be taking to the water at Goodrington Sands as part of an informal event."It took me almost a year to swim in a full moon," he said."We started trying to do full moon swims about three of four years ago, but it was either raining or cloudy and we didn't see a moon for months, but we know it's up there.""It's amazing because you get that whole moon river, that trail of light on the water," Mr Newbury added. "It's just really magically being under the moonlight. It's a bit daring, it's a bit naughty."Chagford Pool, near Dartmoor, said it had sold out its ticketed full moon swim and was looking to host more in future. Why a 'Strawberry Moon'? Sophia Herod said the Strawberry Moon was named after "Native American and European cultures as a way of signalling a time to harvest wild strawberries".Full moons were given nicknames to help keep track of time and monitor the changing Strawberry Moon may appear to take on a reddish tinge, but it is nothing to do with its position of the moon so close to the horizon means the light it reflects towards Earth passes through the thicker, lower layer of you manage to catch the Strawberry Moon on camera, why not share your photographs with BBC Weather Watchers.


The Sun
10 hours ago
- The Sun
Dog owners urged to ‘keep pets indoors' until 6pm from tomorrow
DOG owners have been urged to keep their pets indoors all day from tomorrow, as temperatures across the UK soar. Pooch owners are advised to keep their canines inside the house during the hottest parts of the day from 9pm on Thursday, June 12 to 8am Sunday, June 15. 2 2 The warning comes from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), who have issued the first yellow heat health warning of the year. The UKHSA said: "If you are going to do a physical activity (for example, exercising or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler, such as the morning or evening." The yellow warning applies to the East Midlands, South East, East of England, and London. It states that the hot weather will lead to "greater risk to life of vulnerable people", and "increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people." It adds that Brits should learn the symptoms of heatstroke and heat exhaustion so that they can help out others who are suffering in the extreme heat. The Met Office predicts temperatures up to 30C on Friday in some areas and has also issued yellow thunderstorm warnings as the warmer weather arrives. The hottest parts of the day are typically between 12pm and 6pm so dog walkers should avoid bringing their pooches inside during this time. The RSPCA warned: " Dogs should have regular exercise and involving them in your outings and family fun is expected, but if the weather is warm, it can be too much for our dogs." The animal charity added that dogs with health conditions, flat-faced breeds such as pugs and pooches with thick coats are most at risk. "As dogs rely on their respiratory system to keep cool, unfit and overweight dogs and those with heart or respiratory disease are more likely to heat up faster and take longer to cool down", it said. Eve, a veterinary nurse from the UK and a dog mum-of-three recently took to TikTok to share a warning for dog owners. She said: "The temperatures are rising and taking your dog on a walk is not worth risking their life. 'Do it responsibly - 6am in the morning, 8pm at night when it's nice and cool.' Dog breeds most susceptible to overheating In general, there are six groups of dogs who struggle most in hot weather... Firstly, those with underlying health problems. Dogs can't sweat like we can, so rely largely on panting to cool down. However, if they have airway or lung impairments, or suffer from fluid balance or hydration issues, then this is more difficult, and their ability to lose heat is reduced, meaning they are at a higher risk of heat-stroke. Overweight animals find it harder to ventilate, and their core temperature rises faster than you'd expect for a lean dog. Very young dogs or very old dogs are also at increased risk of heatstroke, and these owners should be even more cautious in hot weather. Dogs with very thick coats, who are adapted to a colder climate. Dogs such as the Husky or Malamute - and even the Chow Chow - have been bred to keep heat in. However, this comes at the price of being less well able to cope in hot weather. Their thick double coats effectively trap heat, making it the equivalent of us going out in the July heat wearing a fur coat and thermal underwear: they get very hot, very quickly. This problem can be alleviated by clipping (NOT shaving), however, the coat can take a long time to grow back. In a heatwave, though, if you're struggling to keep your dog cool, I'd personally rather have a dog with a thinner coat who's alive than a luxuriously coated dog in the morgue. Short-nosed, or brachycephalic, breeds such as Pugs, Bulldogs, and French Bulldogs. These dogs have been bred to look "cute", with big eyes and flat faces. Unfortunately, the result of this has been a narrowing of the airways and a profusion of soft tissue in the nasal chambers and pharynx - we call this Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome, and it profoundly affects their ability to pant and lose heat. Like a dog with any other respiratory disease, most members of these breeds are highly prone to heatstroke, and as they are often overweight as well, are at very high risk in hot weather. When is it too hot to walk my dog? Kathleen Pohl, a vet from Pet Health Club revealed the the ideal temperature to walk your dog in is between five and fifteen degrees. Up to around 23 degrees it is ok to lightly exercise your dog but any strenuous exercise could put them at risk of heat stroke. However, when temperatures rise from 24 up to 27 degrees, according to this vet: 'Most dogs will find the heat very uncomfortable - while it's not immediately life threatening, prolonged exposure can lead to overheating and exhaustion." However, the vet warned that any temperature above 32 degrees is extremely dangerous for dogs. The vet highlighted: 'At this level there's a high risk of life threatening heat stroke. "Dogs can suffer from dehydration, rapid heart rate, even organ failure.' She added: "Remember, a dog has never died from skipping a walk, but they die every year from heat stroke. Don't walk your dog in the heat.'


Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Daily Mail
'Pollen bomb' warning as levels soar across England and Wales: Map reveals the areas where hay fever sufferers will be worst hit - so, is your hometown at risk?
It's a condition that affects roughly one in four people in Britain. And if you suffer from hay fever, you might want to stock up on anti-histamines. A 'pollen bomb' is set to hit the UK today, the Met Office has revealed. 'Have you been sneezing today?' the national weather and climate service asked on X. 'Pollen levels are currently very high across most of England and Wales.' Except for North East England, every region of England and Wales has 'very high' levels today - with the East of England, and London & South East England continuing to suffer through Thursday. Thankfully, the pollen bomb should subside by the weekend - although it's bad news if you were planning to hit the park to sunbathe. 'Levels dipping tomorrow as rain arrives,' the Met Office added. @lillian3600 never been hit by hay fever but Holy Ghost I couldn't breathe ♬ growth - Gede Yudis The 'pollen count' literally predicts the amount of pollen grains per cubic metre of air. The Met Office predicts the upcoming pollen count by combining measurements of pollen in the air with predicted weather patterns to work out how the pollen will spread. What is considered a high pollen count varies depending on the type of plant. For grass pollen, a reading of between 50 and 150 grains of grass pollen per cubic metre is considered high. Manwhile, a reading between 81 and 200 is considered high for birch pollen. Across the UK, the Met Office deisgnates each region one of five symbols, ranging from '-' (no significant pollen) to 'VH' (very high). On today's map, South West England, London & South East England, East of England, East Midlands, West Midlands, Wales, North West England, and Yorkshire & Humber have all been designated as 'very high'. North East England, Dumfries, Galloway, Lothian & Borders, Central, Tayside & Fife, Strathclyde, and Northern Ireland will experience 'high' levels. Meanwhile, people in Grampian will only have 'medium' levels, while those living in Highlands & Eilean Siar, and Orkney & Shetland can relax, with 'low' levels forecast. The news will come as no surprise to many Londoners, who have complained of high pollen levels for weeks. On social media, residents have complained of tight chests, red eyes, and brain fog as they walked through the parks. In a video posted to TikTok, one user said: 'I felt like I had literal shards of pollen going into my eyes. 'Please tell me I'm not the only one because that was scary and I need to know how to prepare for the rest of summer if it's going to be like this.' Conditions have been so bad that even those who normally don't suffer from hay fever say they have been affected. One commenter wrote: 'I thought it was just me. I've never had an issue with hay fever until this weekend.' Piers Morgan was one of those affected by the pollen bomb, tweeting: 'Anyone else got shocking hay fever in London today? 'Even trusty Fexofenadine barely touching the wheezing, sneezy, fog-brained sides..' Thankfully, the pollen levels across much of the country will subside within a matter of days. The Met Office's forecast shows that by Saturday, most of England will have 'medium' or 'high' levels, while Scots will be able to rest easy, with 'low' levels across the country.