There was a five per cent rise in the number of visitors heading to UK attractions last year, the latest figures show.

VisitEngland's Annual Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions found that historical houses and castles were particularly popular in 2009, recording a 12 per cent rise.

Gardens, on the other hand, saw ten per cent more visitors than in the previous 12-month period.

James Berresford, chief executive VisitEngland, commented: 'Our attractions are world class, whether you're looking for a zoo, a historical gem, a theme park or one of our beautiful gardens.

'He added that day trips in particular are seeing an increase in interest from locals as people aim to make the most of what is on their doorsteps.

This follows figures from VisitBritain, which recently showed that £1 billion was spent in the UK by foreign tourists heading to attractions last year.