The National Trust had a bumper December with more than half-a-million visitors to its properties, a 74 per cent increase on the previous year.

The trust, whose property in the area include Corfe Castle, Studland beach, Kingston Lacy and Brownsea Island, puts the large jump in numbers down to the mild weather and an increasing number of houses running Christmas themed activities.

More than 40 pay-for-entry properties were open during the weekends in December. The trust is on target to have its best ever year for visitor numbers, exceeding 18 million visitors for the first time in its history.

The retail side of shops and online sales also saw an increase in sales of 24 per cent and the cafés and restaurants sales increased by 71 per cent in the last month of the year.

Fiona Reynolds, Director-General of the National Trust, said: “In these economically tough times the National Trust seems to have swum against the tide with these fantastic results.”

Chairman Simon Jenkins said: “This shows that arts and heritage charities not dependent on government grants appear to be experiencing a surge in trading income.

“The public is turning away from more expensive leisure venues, overnight stays and foreign trips. It is a rare good news story in the gloom.”