DEMOLITION work will finally start on Weston-super-Mare's Grand Pier next week.

The entire pavilion building and most of the attractions inside were destroyed when fire ripped through the building on July 28.

Most of the pier has reopened to allow visitors witness the damage for themselves.

But, more than six weeks after the disaster, the owners have appointed Bristol Company TR Demolition to knock down the remains.

The pier's owners, Kerry and Michelle Michael, will not disclose how much the works will cost.

Demolition experts will cut up the debris and remove it in small pieces along the walkway of the pier to ensure minimum risk to the structure and the environment.

If an open tipper needs to leave the site during opening hours, a man will walk in front of the vehicle down the walkway to the shore, where debris will be transferred to a compound for recycling.

Work will be conducted outside business hours and the pier will remain open during the demolition.

It is expected to take 10 weeks to clear the site.

Works carried out by TR Demolition will include several sweeps of the beach and, once complete, the exclusion zone around the pier will be removed.

Mr Michael said: "Demolishing a structure that lies a quarter of a mile out to sea brings with it many logistical challenges.

"We have looked at various options, including floating in barges, having a crane on legs in the sea and running a train up and down the waist of the pier.

"We are satisfied that the option we have chosen will cause the least disruption and have minimum environmental impact.

"This is the first step in bringing the pier back to life and I am looking forward to moving on and re-building an even better pier."

T.R.Demolition (UK – International) Ltd operates from Bristol and has carried out major projects, including work on the former test site for Spitfire engines at Rolls Royce in Filton.

Director Sharon Haskell said: "We are delighted to have won the contract for the demolition of Weston pier and are pleased to be able to play our part in its re-birth.

"The job is challenging because of the location but we are confident we can carry out the work with the minimum of disruption, while keeping the waist of the pier open to the public."

The firm owns modern demolition equipment, including six 80-tonne machines with breakers and attachments and a 24-metre high-reach excavator with processor, together with a mobile crushing plant and fleet of tipper lorries for site clearance.

The company is an active member of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors.