ANGLOPHILE travel writer Bill Bryson once described it as "the best cathedral on the planet" - and judging by its latest accolade he was probably right.

A poll of architectural delights and disaster has elevated Durham Cathedral to Britain's best-loved building, with the magnificent Norman structure claiming more than half the votes in a survey for BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

About 16,000 listeners put it ahead of the Eden Project, in Cornwall, London's Tate Modern gallery, the National Theatre and Stansted Airport.

At the other end of the scenic scale is Portsmouth's Tricorn Centre, judged to be Britain's most hated building, followed by Heathrow Airport, Buckingham Palace, Coventry city centre and, again, the National Theatre.

The Dean of Durham, the Very Reverend Dr John Arnold, was delighted with the news.

He said: "It's a wonderful building on a very dramatic site, and a warm welcome - that's what brought in the votes.

"Also, people come to see a building that is being used for the very purpose it was built.

"Part of our work is also to make people welcome just as our predecessors did in medieval times.

"I've heard it said that more people come to Durham specifically to visit the cathedral than go to any other place specially for a building.

"It's not the first time it's been voted the best in Britain.

"We also were voted the best building in the world and we have been declared a World Heritage Site."

Built on the site of a white Saxon church, the cathedral houses the remains of St Cuthbert and the tomb of the Venerable