AN auctioneer who sold his home to buy a North Wales pier uncovered a 1930s stained glass masterpiece.
But Steve Hunt was devastated to discover a number of the panes had been broken during renovation work in the 1960s.
The 32-year-old has been living in Colwyn Bay's Victoria Pier since New Year's Eve, having sold his four-bedroomed home in Cambridge to fulfil a lifelong dream.
His ambition is to restore the pier, now something of an eyesore, to its former splendour and make it the focus of the town's tourism trade once again.
The pier's centrepiece is a pavilion built in 1934 after fire destroyed the original buildings.
Some of the finest architects and artists of the Art Deco age were engaged to ensure the building was stylish and fireproof.
And Mr Hunt was hoping the most important decorative features remained intact behind the spartan additions of
1968.
But when he cut a large hole in the suspended ceiling to expose the showpiece stained-glass skylight, he found up to half of the glass panes had been broken.
Now he faces the task of getting new glass made to match the texture of the surviving panes. Mr Hunt believes the window was designed by Mary Adshead, best known in art circles for her church murals. She was responsible for the pavilion's overall decoration and left a detailed account of the colours.
The pier's new owner is hoping another Art Deco treasure may be hiding in the restaurant adjoining the pavilion - two large murals by artist Eric Ravilious.
Mr Hunt believes they were probably plastered over in the 1960s. He says experts may be needed to guide the restoration.
Part of his pier is due to be reopened to the public on Saturday.
The pavilion's floor is too unstable for public entry but Mr Hunt hopes to open the room by the end of the summer so people can see the stained-glass skylight and work in progress.
He is hoping visitors will give donations towards the restoration programme, which is expected to cost up to £4m.
Mr Hunt hopes donations and grants will see the pier's Art Deco ballroom - where Morecambe and Wise, Ken Dodd and Harry Secombe once performed in summer variety shows - used again.
He also intends to demolish the ugly 1970s building at the pier entrance and install replicas of the original Moorish booths.
Mr Hunt says he has few problems sleeping 20ft above the sea at high tide.
"When I worked in London I used to sleep in the back of the van on the way to and from work," said the auctioneer.
"The first night I slept here was rough. It was New Year's Eve night when it was extremely windy and extremely rainy.
"The wind is the main thing. It howls around the building. It goes straight under the floor which you don't get with a normal house.
"You do wonder sometimes if you're going to wake up and find half the pier has disappeared," he said.
"But it's been here 104 years already and I hope it will be here another 104 years."
