IT ALREADY has a trophy cabinet bursting at the seams – and is the number one attraction in the UK according to TripAdvisor.

But Paultons Park is the recipient of yet another award, celebrating "excellence" and "high standard offerings".

The Hampshire attraction was the only theme park in the UK and one of only two attractions in the south east to achieve a Gold VisitEngland accolade.

It recognises Paultons Park’s ability to score highly across all areas of the judging criteria including food and drink, customer service, visitor experience and cleanliness.

James Mancey, operations director, said: “One of our core statements which we live by at Paultons is to be the best in everything we do. This mission informs our decision making and our approach to every aspect of our guest experience.

“Everyone at Paultons strives to deliver the best day out for all families visiting us and will go above and beyond to do so. Achieving Gold recognition from VisitEngland is testament to that effort and we’re honoured to be named alongside some of the best attractions in the UK.”

In total, 76 attractions were recognised based on the scores they gained in their annual Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme assessment by VisitEngland.

Andrew Stokes, VisitEngland director, said: “I’m so pleased to see our visitor attractions back in the spotlight with these accolades that recognise the amazing experiences available across the country. They also acknowledge the people who bring the attractions to life through their unparalleled customer service. They are the ones who make an attraction the most ‘welcoming’ and give life to the ‘Best Told Story’ whilst the quality of the attractions themselves are rewarded with ‘Quality Food and Drink’ and ‘Hidden Gem’ and of course ‘Gold’ for best all-rounders.

“Now more than ever we need these attractions to encourage and remind us to get out and explore the amazing tourism on offer across England, driving recovery and economic benefits through the regions.”

Paultons Park was named by Tripadvisor as the 10th best-rated amusement park in the world and the fourth best in Europe - beating all other UK attractions - in the 2020 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards. The family theme park also retained its title for an unbeaten fifth year in a row as the UK’s best-rated amusement park.