DURHAM’S civic and religious leaders have hit back after an influential guide book claimed, after the Cathedral, it offered ‘little else to do’.

The latest edition of the Lonely Planet guide describes Durham as: "unquestionably beautiful but once you’ve visited the Cathedral and walked around the old town looking for the best views, there isn’t much else to do."

The verdict will be a blow to tourism chiefs, who for years have tried to transform the city from a two-hour stop-off between York and Edinburgh to an overnight-stay destination in its own right.

However, Councillor Mamie Simmons, the Mayor of Durham, rejected the claim, citing Durham Castle, Crook Hall and Gardens, the riverbanks, the Botanic Garden, the Gala Theatre and the Fulling Mill and Oriental museums as other attractions worth a visit.

"There’s much more to do than the Cathedral," she said.

"And you can’t see the Cathedral in one visit either - I’ve lived in Durham over 40 years and I’m still seeing new aspects of it."

The Right Reverend Mark Bryant, the Bishop of Jarrow - an assistant bishop in the Church of England’s Durham diocese, said: "The Cathedral on its own would be worth a journey of over 500 miles.

"This must be one of the finest Norman buildings in the whole of northern Europe and for that alone Durham is worth more than a little detour."

Councillor Mac Williams, outgoing chairman of Durham County Council, said: "We’ve got people coming from all over the country and people don’t come just for the Cathedral.

"I say bring them on - the more the merrier."

The Lonely Planet guide is expected to sell 100,000 copies.