Southend-on-Sea is town and unitary authority borough in the East of England. It is a seaside resort in the south-eastern corner of the county of Essex. It has a pier which is one of the longest in the world. The pier is 2,158 meters (1.34 miles) long. A railway line runs along the pier. The pier has been badly damaged by fires four times in fifty years, in 1959, 1976, 1993 and 2005. Near the pier there are arcades, casinos and a theme park called Adventure Island.