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The third and final phase of improvement works on Southport Pier is set to start.

The work is all part of an ongoing £2.9m refurbishment of the oldest cast iron pier in the country that first opened in 1860.

Works will include new telescopes on the pier to view wildlife and terrestrial and webcams and television screens to view other marine life.

Other improvements include the opening of two new kiosks serving food and drink that the concessions now trade in.

The final phase due to start soon will see improved beach access and signage on the Pier that stretches more than 1,108m into the Irish Sea.

Mark Catherall, Sefton Council’s Tourism Manager, said: “Every year millions of people make the pleasant stroll down Southport Pier and the continued improvement works just enhance the experience.

“We look forward to working with the concessions to help the Pier go from strength to strength, and the substantial investment by the Council and the concession is a great boost to the local economy and shows great confidence in the town.

“Southport Pier is a marvellous asset and millions of pounds spent on redevelopment work ensures this fantastic structure continues to be a top tourist attraction.”

The final phase of work should be completed by the end of the year.

Sefton Council is continuing its efforts to reduce the impact that single used plastics have on the local environment.

Following last week’s landmark declaration of a Climate Change Emergency, Sefton Council’s Cabinet have today (July 25) agreed on even more robust action to help protect the environment and future generations by tackling the issue of single use plastics.

Sefton have already begun phasing out the use of single use plastics following discussions in 2018, including stopping use of plastic cutlery, straws, drink stirrers, plates, cups and lids in local authority buildings.

Work has been undertaken in relation to the concessions that operate under Sefton licences, including food outlets and events on the coastline.

Part of this work also involves a blanket ban on balloon and Chinese lantern releases across the borough, which have been found to pose a threat to livestock and wildlife, as well as being a source of litter across the coast and greenspaces.

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulation and Compliance, said: “We wholeheartedly believe that the reduction of single-use plastic would not only benefit the health of our residents across Sefton, but it will also go quite some way in reducing waste and ultimately help us to protect our coast.

“While we know that there are limitations in our powers to ban single use plastics across the borough, we are working on a robust strategy to ensure we can eventually phase them out across all council activities and buildings by 2020.

“The mass intentional release of helium filled latex balloons and Chinese/sky lanterns pose hazards to wildlife and livestock causing injury and death, and in even worse cases, lanterns can also cause injury to humans, damage to buildings and cause false callouts to the coastguard.

“We would encourage all residents and visitors to our beautiful borough to take note and help us in reducing the amount of single use plastics our communities use.”

Further updates will be announced in the coming months.