An inferno destroyed a historic British pier on Tuesday, the second architectural relic from the heyday of domestic seaside holidays to go up in smoke in recent months.

The derelict pier at Fleetwood on the northwest English coast caught fire before dawn.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said they sent 10 fire engines and 60 firefighters to tackle the blaze following a call at 4.30 am.

"When they got there it was well alight and structurally it has been destroyed," a spokesperson said.

"It was suspected the fire started at the front near where the pub and cafe are. How it started we don't know yet. Nobody is reported missing or injured."

Fleetwood Pier was the last to be built in the 1860-1910 "golden age" of pier building. The attraction opened to the public in 1911. It was damaged by a major fire in 1952.

Following changes of ownership and uncertainty over its future, it has not been in use for at least 12 months and was boarded up in recent days.

It is the second British pier destroyed by fire during the summer season.

In late July, a blaze destroyed most of the Grand Pier at Weston-Super-Mare in southwest England, dealing a further hammer blow to the seaside town's economy.

Piers a part of seaside heritage

With colourful arcades, dizzying rides and rich-smelling food stalls, a stroll along the pier has long been a key part of a British seaside holiday.

Piers first sprung up in the Victorian era as the growth of railways and better working conditions prompted more people to take seaside holidays.

However, they began to fall out of fashion in the 1960s as package breaks opened up mass market foreign travel. Some 55 piers remain.

"It is another sad day, though it is a very different situation from the pier at Weston," said Tim Phillips, chairman of the National Piers Society.

"The sad thing here has been that the owner has been having difficulty getting consent to what he wanted to do with the pier. Half the community wanted to see the pier developed and half didn't."

AFP