Tate Modern visitor numbers up 20 per cent

The 2006 total count at Tate Modern was 4.9 million vistors according to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions.

The top attraction remains Blackpool Pleasure Beach but its 5.7 million visits indicate a 4 per cent fall. Tate Modern's figures are up 21 per cent.

ALVA director Robin Broke said visitor numbers fell dramatically in 2005 following the 7 July bombings.

The Tate Modern figures easily outstrip Tate Britain. The Tower of London was in eighth place with more than two million visitors followed by St Paul's Cathedral with more than 1.6 million visitors, a 17 per cent increase.

The London Eye does not appear in the list as its visitor numbers were unavailable.