The wooden decking on the new £51 million pier in Weston-super-Mare may need to be replaced – possibly causing even further delays to the opening.

Pier owner Kerry Michael has admitted that the new wooden decking around the outside of the pavilion is already failing and structural engineers have been called in to assess the problem.

This comes after the news broke that one of the main sub-contractors working on the project had gone bust.

Bristol-based heating and design engineering firm Joyner Morgan, which was the main mechanical services contractor on the pier working for main contractor John Sisk and Son, went into voluntary liquidation on Friday.

Surveyors have been asked to prepare a report about the structural integrity of the wooden decking on the pier, but Mr Michael says he is expecting the worst.

He said: "Structural engineers are looking into the design to see if it meets the requirements and if, as I fear, it does not, it will have to be stripped and redone.

"I am bitterly disappointed at the continued delays on the project. We should have been open weeks ago and not only have we lost the entire summer, but it looks like we will be losing what's left of the season as well.

"I can only apologise to everyone that has been waiting patiently for the reopening – those who have booked events that cannot go ahead, the staff waiting in the wings for a start date and to the whole town and sea-front traders, who like us, are losing out every day."