RE THE Grand Pier fire. Thank God that there were no deaths or injuries. Another opportunity to recognise the efficiency of our fire service and the ability to marshal help from within the South West, without the need of the regionalisation which was al

RE THE Grand Pier fire. Thank God that there were no deaths or injuries. Another opportunity to recognise the efficiency of our fire service and the ability to marshal help from within the South West, without the need of the regionalisation which was all the rage some months ago and thankfully seems to have been abandoned.Particular recognition - the testimony of the Chief Fire Officer and picked up by many national newspapers - of the bravery of Robert Tinker the senior engineer at the pier. He definitely put life and limb at risk and averted what could have been a much more tragic situation. Mr Tinker must be rewarded and acknowledged nationally and locally.Whatever the cost of rebuilding the pier should be amply covered by the insurance policy. They will be left with a prime site and with all sorts of alternative opportunities for development for its future.With the benefit of hindsight, I wonder what are the views on the very exorbitant expenditure incurred on the sea defences. Surely those funds could have more appropriately been allocated to restoration of the Grand Pier.My immediate comments when I was made aware of the sea defences' proposals and the costs was that on the basis of statistics, it was likely to be another 107 years before major flooding in the area could be expected. Time to build Noah's Ark in readiness for a possible flood. In the meantime the Noah's Ark could have been a major tourist attraction!HAROLD JAMES - Upper Church Road, Weston