Southport Pier is 160 years old today

The iconic Southport Pier is today celebrating a landmark birthday.

The iron pier, the oldest of its kind in the country, is 160 years old today, having been opened to the public on this day back in 1860.

A walk to the end of Southport Pier will give you views across the North West and on a clear day you can see neighbouring Blackpool and even the North Wales coast.

The 1,000 metre long Southport Pier is the second longest in the country, a walk to the end boasts magnificent views.

The Pier hasn’t always been used for pleasure however. During the war it hosted anti aircraft guns as part of a makeshift defence system during German bombing raids