Part of Teignmouth pier washed away by ‘wild’ waves

Part of the historic pier was flooded as Storm Ingrid brought heavy rain and strong winds to Devon and Cornwall.

Teignmouth mayor Cate Williams said the town had “taken a real blow” overnight into Saturday when “wild” waves damaged part of Teignmouth Grand Pier.

The Met Office issued a yellow warning for rain until 10pm GMT and the Environment Agency said flood warnings were in place for the coasts of south Devon and south Cornwall.

Great Western Railway said the line between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth would remain closed until at least 2pm because there was a “significant amount of debris” on the track at Dawlish due to waves breaking over the sea wall.

The mayor of Teignmouth said it was “sad” to see part of the pier at the resort, which opened in 1867, washed away.

“The pier lost part of its structure and melted into the sea,” he said.

“It’s an old pier and it needed some maintenance and I guess aging, wear and tear has taken its toll.

“It has survived many weather conditions and world wars. When you look at it now, it is sad to see that some of it is missing.”

Devon County Council said trees in the area were also down, with one blocking both lanes of the A377 near Lapford.

Cornwall Council has warned that trees may still be weak or unstable after Storm Goretti.

GWR said the seawall at Dawlish would be inspected after the storm had passed.

The company advised passengers to avoid train travel until later, as tickets remain valid on Sunday.

GWR spokesman James Davis said: “A significant amount of debris thrown onto the tracks by the sea will need to be cleared before we can operate trains safely.

“The line is closed and we have limited bus replacement service.

“Frankly, if the same number of people choose to travel as normal, you will find yourself waiting for quite some time.”