TODAY is a milestone occasion for the people of Saltburn.

Former Culture Minister Mr Chris Smith is officially reopening Saltburn pier in a special day for the town.

It was Mr Smith's action in upgrading the listed status of the N-E coast's last remaining pleasure pier which helped to lever almost £1m from the Heritage Lottery Fund to finance its badly-needed refurbishment.

Mr Smith will cut a ceremonial ribbon on the pier, backed by a brass band, before an invited audience to include Friends of the pier whose individual donations also helped reach the £1.3m needed to restore the famous landmark.

The MP remembers the help he was able to offer the Redcar and Cleveland delegation - organised by local MP Dr Ashok Kumar - which set up the funding package which also included council and European cash.

Mr Smith said: "This restoration is doubly welcome. It brings back to life an important part of our national seaside heritage and new excitement and activity to Saltburn."

Dr Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said: "This pier would not be here today in such marvellous condition without Chris's help."

Redcar and Cleveland mayor Coun Vilma Collins, who is sharing the tape-cutting duties with Mr Smith, said: "This is a great day for Saltburn and for the borough. We have preserved a real treasure, something we can all be proud of."

Today is doubly important as judges from the Northumbria in Bloom arrive to assess whether Saltburn can win the small town category of the contest for the third year running.

A 14-foot model of the pier, made by service users from the Grangetown and Upsall Hall centres in a joint project with Redcar and Cleveland college, is one of the floral displays, along with 400 hanging baskets, organised by Saltburn in bloom.

Work on the pier, which reopened to the public in May, has also been an attraction as people have watched the massive engineering feat performed with huge cranes operating from the sands.

The contract began 14 months ago, halted over the winter and then restarted in March with the spring tides to be completed on schedule.

It has involved removing each trestle, refurbishing them on land then making new piles for their support. New timber decking and a new timber sub-structure has also been added.

For the Friends chairman, Mr Norman Bainbridge, this is a memorable day.

"It seems a long time since we started our campaign to save the pier," he said. "But we got there in the end and we are grateful to everyone who has helped and contributed to the effort. There has been an awful lot of unseen work.

"I hope people will enjoy the pier and that it can now be maintained in its present excellent condition."

"There is no doubt that there were times when it looked as though it would go altogether, but it has been there since 1868 and would be a great loss to the town.