A NORTH-East mining museum is one of the top tourist attractions in the world, according to a popular travel review website.

Killhope, the North of England Lead Mining Museum, in  County Durham, has been awarded a 2013 Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor.

The honour is given to businesses and attractions that consistently earn high ratings from travellers and means the Weardale attraction is in the top-performing 10 per cent of all organisations on the site.

More than 80 per cent of people who have reviewed the museum online have given it a top five-star rating.

Michael Boase, Killhope manager, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to receive the Certificate of Excellence and would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to write about their visit to the museum and recommend it to others.

“We pride ourselves on offering a fantastic day out for the whole family and it’s clear from the feedback that we have received that our visitors agree.”

Killhope boasts a fully restored Victorian lead mine and the world’s only working Armstrong Water Wheel as well as a large collection of spar boxes – display cases made by miners to show off the minerals they had collected.

Visitors can also enjoy the site’s woodland walks and watch the native wildlife from purpose-built observation hides as well as have a go at being a blacksmith.

Alison Copus, vice president of marketing for TripAdvisor for business, said: “The Certificate of Excellence award provides top performing establishments around the world the recognition they deserve, based on feedback from those who matter most – their customers.”

The announcement comes just days after Killhope vowed to cut its carbon footprint through the two-year-long Make Carbon History initiative led by Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums.

Reviewers on TripAdvisor praised Killhope for being both fun and educational, although several warned that wellies might be needed.

Particular highlights reported by reviewers included going down the mine, seeing squirrels, the quality of food in the cafe and the fact that tickets allow entry for a year.

For more information, call 01388-537505, visit killhope.org.uk or email info@killhope.org.uk