The Prince George Lock suffered major structural failure last month and has been out of action since.

Port officials are unsure what caused the damage to the 28-ton gate, which provides access from the canal to the sea for leisure craft and fishing vessels.

"All we know at the moment is that, at 9.30pm, our port controller heard a loud bang, and that the western gate on the Prince George lock was letting water out of the lock," said Shoreham Port chief executive Rod Johnstone.

The lock has already been drained to allow investigators to examine the scene, with the bolts and other debris recovered being sent away for forensic testing.

Shoreham Port is currently working on a traffic management system, which will give leisure craft a window in which they can enter or leave the canal using the Prince Philip Lock, used mainly by commercial vessels.

Details of the traffic management system will be sent to all relevant parties in the next week and also be published on the port's website www.shoreham-port.co.uk