A LANDMARK jetty on Canvey is set to be demolished to stop teenagers “tombstoning” - jumping off it risking serious injury.

Holehaven Creek jetty has become a hotspot for “tombstoning” - which involves jumping from a height into water - in recent years.

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It came after volunteers manning a watching tower on the jetty moved to a new site in October 2021.

Now, the Port of London Authority has submitted an application to Castle Point Council to demolish the jetty.

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The authority stated it has been unable to find anyone to use it, while also fearing it will continue to attract children to jump of it. 

Council leader Dave Blackwell says he is surprised the authority is planning to pull down the jetty.

“It’s a shame almost as the jetty has been there as long as I can remember,” he said.

“But for many years now teenagers have been jumping off the end, which is dangerous, and vandalising the structure.”

The Canvey Island Independent Party councillor added: “I’m surprised the PLA wants to tear it down because it could have been used for fishermen and trawlers who head out from that creek.

“I imagine it’s going to take an awful lot of money to take it all down safely with the coastguard building down the end.”

The wood hut at the end of the jetty was a Harbour Master’s station until 1999.

And volunteers from the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) were based in a watch tower at the end of the jetty before moving to Canvey Island Yacht Club in October 2021.

The move followed years of abuse and harassment by gangs of teens, culminating in the NCI cutting opening hours to protect volunteers who were being subjected to abuse, intimidation, threats of violence and even being spat at by gangs of 15 to 20 youths on a daily basis.

A PLA spokesman said: “If the jetty is not removed, it will require substantial work to maintain, and it will continue to attract children to ‘tombstone’, which we strongly discourage due to safety concerns.

“Due to tombstoning and repeated vandalism, that has posed a threat of pollution to the Holehaven Creek SSSI, we have secured the site against trespassers until demolition.”