Some in the town had suggested it could be twinned with Pisa in Italy, council leader George Dunning said.

BBC: Redcar vertical pier

"We've had structural engineers looking at it again due to these rumours and the director of regeneration only last week reassured me again that it's not leaning, " Mr Dunning said.

BBC: Redcar vertical pier

"Let's be honest, I think it's the younger generation who like the idea of a vertical pier and the not-so-young generation who like the idea of a traditional pier, " Mr Dunning said.

BBC: Dreaming of a new pier for Redcar

"Buy-to-let is much more attractive now than before 2008, " said Nick Dunning, Countrywide's group commercial director.

WSJ: U.S. Investors Move Into U.K. Housing

Jonathan Dunning, branch secretary of UNISON at county hall, said social workers were facing increasing workloads and declining resources.

BBC: Vulnerable children in Norfolk 'put at risk', says report