On 1 March 2002, the Scenic Railway roller coaster at Dreamland became a listed building, the first time an amusement park ride has been given heritage status. Its the oldest operating roller coaster in the country
Facts and figures about the South East
The South East's creative and cultural industries provide jobs for 560,000 people, and contribute an annual turnover of about 46.5 billion to the region
Between 1995 and 2000 employment in the sector grew rapidly - by 28.4 per cent. In employment terms the sector is one of the most significant in the South East It employs 13.2 per cent of the regional workforce
74,900 people are employed in sports-related activities in the South East
In 2000, 73,900 people were employed in hotels, hospitality and tour operating
More people take part in sport in the South East than the national average. There are around 863,000 people participating in organised sports clubs.
UNESCO has designated two World Heritage Sites in the South East: Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire and a trio of sites in Canterbury- the Cathedral, St Augustine Abbey and St Martin's Church.
The Paralympic Movement has its origins in the South East when neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttman organised the first wheelchair Games at Stoke Mandeville Hospital to coincide with the 1948 London Olympics.
The top visited attraction that charged for entry in 2004 with nearly 1.3 million visits was Legoland in Windsor & Maidenhead
The South East region is the most wooded region in England, with 270,000 ha covering 14% of the land area. We also have the highest concentration in the country of ancient woodlands (40%),