IT’S a huge part of Southend’s heritage and identity but it’s fair to say that the pier has had more comebacks than Frank Sinatra.
Exactly 50 years ago the future of the pier was hanging in the balance - and not for the first time.
Four-year-old Cheryl Byfield, from Rayleigh, had almost died after plunging through rotting planks after jumping off a bench onto the pier deck.
A rotten plank sea-sawed and tiny Cheryl fell through the gap and plunged 30ft into the water below.
Fortunately the tide was just deep enough to carry her to a stanchion and she clung on for dear life.