STAFF at one of the North-East’s most popular tourist attractions are celebrating after welcoming a record-breaking number of visitors last year.

Figures from Beamish Museum, in County Durham, show 747,651 people were there during 2016, up 11 per cent on the previous year.

It is the first time in the museum’s 46-year history it has broken the 700,000 visitor milestone.

Visitor numbers in December were up by 38 per cent on the previous year.

Figures have more than doubled since 2008, making Beamish the region’s most popular paid-for visitor attraction.

Director Richard Evans said: “This growth and the income this generates helps not just Beamish but the whole region.

“More than half of our visitors are tourists and nearly all of them stay overnight in hotels, bed and breakfasts and guest houses, as well as visiting the other cultural and heritage gems we have in this fantastic region.”

Last year, the museum was awarded £10.9m by the Heritage Lottery Fund for its Remaking Beamish project, to feature a 1950s Town, farm and Georgian coaching inn.

It was also named Large Visitor Attraction of the Year for the third year in a row at the North East England Tourism Awards 2016.