VISITOR numbers at one of the region’s top attractions have fallen by almost a quarter, according to new figures.

The National Railway Museum in York received 715,370 visitors last year, compared with 931,000 in 2013, says the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions.

However the museum’s director, Paul Kirkman, said the 23.2 per cent drop was the result of the hugely successful 75th birthday celebrations for the Mallard locomotive in 2013.

That attracted around a quarter of a million visitors to its York and Shildon sites as the iconic steam loco Mallard and its sister locomotives celebrated the 75th anniversary of its unbroken world speed record.

He said: “Our base level of visitors is still increasing, and we are anticipating our creative collaboration with York Theatre Royal over the coming months will lead to a sizeable increase of visitor numbers over the summer.”

Other attractions in York’s city centre saw a rise in visitor numbers last year, with Clifford’s Tower gaining an increase of 10.8 per cent compared with 2013.

The tower, which offers spectacular panoramic views of York from its summit, attracted 153,530 visitors during 2014, an increase of nearly 15,000 from 2013.

Further away from York, both Fountains Abbey and Whitby Abbey saw increased visitor numbers last year.

Fountains Abbey, with its waterpark and medieval deer garden, benefited from an increase of five per cent, while Whitby Abbey saw an increase of 7.3 per cent.