Winchester Cathedral's value to the city has been revealed in a new survey conducted by English Heritage.

The survey shows that more than 260,000 people came to the historic city last year to visit the 800-year-old building and that they in turn brought in £8.75m to the local economy.

The figures have been put together as part of a look at England's Anglican cathedrals and their impact on tourism throughout the country. As part of the survey, conducted by English Heritage with the help of the Association of English Cathedrals, regular visitors to the country's heritage monuments were asked about their spending habits.

It found that, on average, nearly 9 million people a year visit England's 42 cathedrals - 2 million more than visit Blackpool Pleasure Beach and double the number who went to the British Museum - spending upwards of £91m. Dr Andy Brown, English Heritage's south-east regional director, said: "Nobody's spirit could fail to be uplifted by the awe-inspiring architecture of our great cathedrals.

"But what we can show is that the economy of this wonderful city is also uplifted by the work carried out by the Dean and Chapter and all the volunteers who support the cathedral and its mission."

The Very Rev Michael Till, Dean of Winchester Cathedral, said: "The majority of the visitors who come to Winchester Cathedral also visit other parts of the city and the region and spend money in the local economy."

A spokesman for Winchester City Centre Partnership added: "I suspect that more than 90 per cent of visitors to Winchester come firstly to see this magnificent building."