AN HISTORIC North Yorkshire visitor attraction is in the running for glory at the UK’s biggest tourism awards.

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, near Ripon, has made it through to the final of the large visitor attraction category at the White Rose Awards, with winners being announced at a ceremony in Leeds on October 1.

Recognised as a World Heritage Site in 1986, the 800-acre estate, run by the National Trust, has more than eight centuries of history. Winners of the Welcome To Yorkshire-organised awards will be entered into the national tourism awards next year.

“We had a fantastic year with record-breaking visitor numbers in 2011 and were able to continue our vital conservation work in the garden, restoring lost features and opening up new areas for our visitors to explore, so it would be a wonderful achievement for all our amazing staff and volunteers if we won,” said Chris Fowler, the estate’s general manager.