One of the Coalville area's top visitor attractions has received glowing reports following inspections by national tourism body Visit England.

The 1620s House & Garden at Donington le Heath, which is managed by Leicestershire County Council, received high marks – bettering already high scores from the last inspections in 2019.

Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre was also singled out for praise.

The inspector's report on the 1620 House gave the venue such an impressive report that it was given an an 89 per cent score, which qualifies the site for both Visit England's Welcome and Hidden Gem accolades.

The report said: "A particular strength was the quality of welcome and interpretation provided by the staff, and particularly the volunteers.

"A perfect score was achieved in the cleanliness section and a high score in the attraction section, with the appearance of the House and the stunning Garden especially notable."

The inspector also made particular mention of the website and social media, the extent of the information available to visitors, the impressive range of food available in the Barn tearoom and its excellent quality and presentation, and the depth of knowledge of the guides.

Bosworth received an 88 per cent score and was rated very good following the visit last month.

In 2019, the attraction scored 86 per cent. The inspector's report said: "The Centre provides an enjoyable and informative visitor experience, with visitors able to engage with some excellent and thought-provoking displays and interpretation, both in the Exhibition Centre and around the wider country park setting."

Other areas singled out for praise included the quality of welcome and interpretation provided by the staff, the content, presentation and quality of the exhibition, the skill and knowledge of the guide who led the battlefield walk, the shop, the website and social media engagement and the 'impressive level' of cleanliness throughout the site.

The inspector concluded: "Overall this was a memorable and enjoyable assessment visit to a well-run attraction, exhibition and country park environment, where the enthusiasm and commitment of the staff in the current difficult times shone through."

Councillor Christine Radford, cabinet member for heritage, leisure and arts, said: "I am delighted that the hard work of the staff and volunteers at Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and the 1620s House & Garden has been recognised by a prestigious visitor organisation such as Visit England.

"We know that these two heritage sites are real gems and have so much to offer visitors of all ages – and these two glowing reports are testament to that. The fact that the inspector singled out the exceptional levels of cleanliness at both sites shows that visitors can be assured of a safe and enjoyable time when they come to see us."

More information about the sites is available HERE at Bosworth Battlefield and 1620s House.