SWANAGE Pier will be getting a new lick of paint tomorrow, thanks to staff from a Poole accountancy firm.

Twenty three members of Princecroft Willis Chartered Accountants will be helping paint the railings at the Grade II-listed structure.

The pier officially re-opened earlier this year following successful repairs to the storm damage that had left it on the verge of collapse.

The Swanage Pier Trust was left facing a hefty £50,000 repair bill following the March 2013 storm, when a key structural pile was swept out to sea.

Swanage Pier Trust chief executive officer Ben Adeney said: “The pier is supported by an incredible team of dedicated volunteers who carry out a range of essential tasks which all helps to keep the pier open to the public.

“As you can imagine painting the railings is one of those tasks which requires an enormous amount of time to complete but it is absolutely essential in the overall maintenance of the pier.

“The Swanage Pier Trust is delighted and extremely grateful to the staff at Princecroft Willis who have volunteered their time to help with this huge task to keep the pier in good order.”

After the 2013 storm damage parts of the historic pier had to be closed on safety grounds immediately afterwards.

After launching an appeal for funds, donations from local residents started coming in – before the trust secured a £39,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Swanage Victorian pier was voted Pier of the Year in 2012.