Plans to remove an historic pier have been approved by councillors.

Rochester Pier, off the Esplanade, collapsed into the water last May, just weeks after funding was allocated to restore it.

Medway Council decided what is left of the structure should be removed to limit further damage and to pave the way for its full restoration.

Yesterday, (Tuesday, February 7), cabinet members approved plans for the pier's removal, in a project costing £137,172.

It will eventually be handed over to a volunteer-led trust to manage and maintain.

Cllr Adrian Gulvin (Con), the council's portfolio holder for resources, said the Rochester Bridge Trust had funded a £30,000 feasibility study and said the works would get the pier back in to a reasonable state.

The council's deputy leader Cllr Howard Doe (Con) said the removal works would eliminate the risk of "bits floating away and damaging vessels", as well as possible anti-social behaviour.

He added: "I think this is an essential piece of work in clearing the way for what we hope will be the restoration of the pier, although funding for that has yet to be identified.

"We will have a number of partners that are interested in the river and we shall obviously approach anyone from whom funding may or may not be available.

"It would have perhaps been better if we had been able to find the money in time, but we haven't been able to. We can't find the money for everything.

"So I think we are now taking a sensible view, which is that it shouldn't be a hazard to navigation."