DURLSTON Country Park has made it to the final of the tourism industry's national Awards for Excellence.

It is one of three finalists in the accessible and inclusive tourism category of the VisitEngland awards.

The country park is up against the Birmingham Hippodrome and the Mylor Sailing and Powerboat School in Cornwall.

The winners will be announced on August 17.

The Three Horseshoes pub in Burton Bradstock and the Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum in Dorchester are also in the running for awards.

Applications were put forward for national judging from businesses across England including hotels, self-catering accommodation providers, B&Bs, glamping operators, attractions, restaurants, pubs, museums, and conference centres.

The awards ceremony will be a virtual event with all 53 finalists invited to attend.

VisitEngland Chief Executive Sally Balcombe said: "These awards celebrate businesses and individuals in tourism across England who have exceeded expectations and delivered excellence during the last 18 months and it is fantastic to see such an outstanding list of finalists.

"The impressive list reflects the sheer scale of innovation, quality and experiences across our tourism landscape and I congratulate all the finalists and wish them the very best of luck.

"Millions of jobs and local economies depend on tourism and this year’s awards are also a timely opportunity to acknowledge the determination and dedication of tourism businesses across the country who have worked extremely hard to reopen and welcome visitors back safely."

The Awards champion the best of the country’s tourism industry celebrating quality, innovation and best practice. This year’s Awards aligned with 18 local competitions around the country, with winners automatically put forward for the national awards.