It was a feat of engineering when it was built by the Victorians but now an historic seaside landmark is in danger of crumbling away unless cash can be found for vital repairs.

Burnham-on-Sea's famous jetty was built in 1855 and was a symbol of 19th-century man's triumph over nature. But after more than 150 years of being battered by howling gales and lashed by crashing waves, the structure is in urgent need of repair and civic leaders, eager to protect the slipway before it is damaged beyond repair, are appealing for help.

Town councillors tried in vain last year to persuade English Nature to give the structure special historic interest status when the conservation charity decided it was not architecturally important enough to warrant the classification.

English Nature's decision means the jetty missed out on hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of funding, leaving it floundering in a sea of uncertainty.

District councillor for Burnham, Neville Jones, is spearheading a campaign to find alternative funding for the restoration before it is too late and is looking for corporate cash to help.

Cllr Jones said: "I am hoping that perhaps British Energy might be able to help.

"When the Low Level Waste from Hinkley is eventually stored at the site, the firm will have a scheme where it gives financial support to local and community projects and I am hoping the jetty could benefit, so for now I have my beady eye on that. It desperately needs repair though, it would be a great blow to Burnham from a historical point of view but also practically.

"I am very hopeful that the town will see a ferry service to Wales reintroduced in 2011 and for that to happen we must have the jetty."

The stone and mortar structure, stretching out into the bay, once served as a dock for a Victorian ferry service when holidaymakers to and from Wales were frequent travellers.

The slipway is also important to sea rescue services in the area who use it to launch. Both hovercraft charity Barb and the RNLI use the jetty and are concerned about its future.

Cllr Jones, who is also president of Barb, said: "It is very important for both groups to use the jetty to launch boats and so there are great concerns about the future of it from that point of view.

"Neither would be able to afford to foot the bill for the repairs either and it is not their responsibility."

Cllr Jones hopes his campaign will at least be able to fund emergency first aid for the jetty which will prevent it from decaying any further.

He said: "Something must be done before it's too late."