NATURE lovers wanting a taste of the safari may be surprised to find the global equivalent of the Marai Mara, in Kenya, is not far from their doorstep.

And those who fancy a flutter in Las Vegas or a spot of karting in Monaco do not actually need to pay for expensive flights.

Research has shown that those in pursuit of leisure and pleasure should make their way either to Middlesbrough or York.

Middlesbrough has come top in the poll by classified directory Yellow Pages for nature and wildlife parks, attracting those who want safari without the Serengeti.

Meanwhile, York has been likened to Las Vegas for its parks and amusements, Munich for its breweries and Monaco for its karting.

The results are part of Yellow Pages leisure league, which has been created by twinning the world's leading leisure hotspots with their British equivalent. Using a database of almost two million businesses, it identified the highest number of classifications per directory, covering anything from winelands to wildlife havens.