Birdman coming home as Bognor prepares for battle of the flyers

Barry Jones has announced the International Birdman contest will be held next September 11 and 12.

Mr Jones, who was chairman of the Bognor Regis International Birdman committee until the competition was stopped in April 2008 amid safety fears, said: "Birdman is coming back to Bognor for 2010.

"It should never have stopped and I know an awful lot of

people are desperate to see it back in the town and can't wait until next year."

Mr Jones said he will be setting up a new committee to support him, after two of the former members moved to support Worthing's Birdman event.

He added: "Birdman is Bognor's event. We won't try to replace Worthing Birdman. The format of Bognor's event may have to change, but people can make their own mind up about which to go to."

The prospect of the fun and serious fliers coming home delighted Bognor Regis Chamber of Commerce members at its executive committee meeting

on Monday.

Chamber president and chairman Nick Stuart-Nicolson said: "The Birdman is returning to Bognor because the studies show that falling into the water is still safe despite losing a length of the pier.

"It is good for Bognor because it brings people into the town. People do spend money in the town that weekend. They don't just stay on the seafront."

Ian Harding, a vice-chairman of the chamber, said: "Birdman has a big marketing value to Bognor.

"It's seen on television in Japan, America and Canada and a lot of other countries around the world. It also gets national slots on TV in Britain.

"That is worth more than 1m to Bognor each year. You can't afford to buy that sort of publicity for the town.

"In that respect, the International Birdman of Bognor event is well worth it."

Chamber executive committee member Peter Wells said: "Worthing has just been borrowing the event."

The world-famous Bognor competition was cancelled because of concerns about the safety of the pier. Safety concerns led to 18.2m of the pier end being removed. It was feared that would leave the water too shallow to jump into.

A move to Worthing ruffled a few feathers around Bognor. But Derek Trotman resigned from the Bognor Birdman Trust because he was so worried someone could be hurt by jumping into the water.

He said: "I backed out of Bognor Birdman because it just wasn't safe any more.

"In my opinion, it will still not be safe to hold it from Bognor Pier next year unless Mr Jones is willing to spend 5m restoring the pier to its original length.

"That would be the only way to get enough depth of water to be safe. Health and safety advisers will not allow people to jump off the end of the pier any more."

Mr Trotman is now one of the organisers of the Worthing Birdman competition.

He added: "The only way I can see an event in Bognor is if it's not a proper Birdman. If people just jump off the pier it won't have that wow factor."

A traditional Birdman competition needs 30ft of water for competitors to launch into.

Town support

Barry Jones said he had already received support from businesses in Bognor, including Butlins and the town's campus of the University of Chichester.

But university spokeswoman Samantha Philpott said: "We have

not given any official backing as yet."

A spokeswoman for Butlins said she could not confirm whether it had agreed to support Birdman next year.

She said: "Because the site director is on annual leave, I am unable to confirm whether he has given his backing for the event."

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