IF you thought we Brits were a nation of couch potatoes, think again. According to a recent survey, Britain is a land of culture vultures, with the arts now more popular than sport. Karen Stephen takes a closer look.

PINT of lager down the pub? No thanks - make ours a night at the opera.

As more and more people are spending their precious leisure time going to see a play or musical, it is no wonder that our European cousins see this country as the most cultured nation in Europe.

Out of 6,025 adults who were interviewed for the survey, a quarter said they had been to a play in the last six months and 26 per cent said they had seen a musical.

This figure has surprised the Arts Council of England (ACE), who commissioned the Office of National Statistics to carry out the research.

A spokesman for ACE says: "Musicals are notoriously expensive to produce, and to see, and are not usually widely staged across the country - so this figure is quite remarkable."

The resurgence of people going to see musicals has been incited by the big rock and pop musicals, such as Queen and Mama Mia, and highly rated shows like Mary Poppins and The Producers.

John Blackmore, executive director of the Octagon Theatre, says: "The Octagon is delighted with the results of this survey.

"It's a testimony to people's leisure choices today.

"Theatre, by its very nature, offers a lively experience shared with others - in particular, the Octagon's unique and intimate auditorium promotes a true sense of community experience.

"This collective understanding is even more vital in an age when new technologies increasingly isolate.

"A laugh in the theatre is deeper and more satisfying than a chortle alone in front of the television."

The survey is the biggest of its kind, and has revealled that appreciation and participation in the arts are more popular than sport across the social spectrum.

Kim Evans, an executive director at ACE, says: "It is good that levels of attendance and participation have remained high against a backdrop of increased competition from other leisure activities.

"While the public appetite for books is not so much of a surprise - three quarters of interviewees listed this as a feature of their spare time -our hunger for theatre, both live and on television, is a revelation."

Perhaps even more of a revelation is that a significant if small number of respondents had taken part in a play or attended a drama class in the last year. The statistics also show that England can be compared favourably with the United States as well as the rest of Europe when it comes to culture.

Double the percentage of people go to the opera in England as in America, and more than double the percentage go to the theatre.

But it is not just the opera and theatre that play a big part in our cultural preferences. Libraries are immensely popular with all backgrounds - 52 per cent of professionals visit them on a regular basis, but so do 48 per cent of unemployed people.

John Blackmore added: "All these fact and figures are extremely encouraging to everyone, especially here at the Octagon."

Britain's favourite leisure activities:

1. Cinema 59 per cent

2. Parks or gardens 48 per cent

3. Library 44 per cent

4. Stately homes 42 per cent

5. Museums / galleries 37 per cent

6. Live music 29 per cent

7. Musicals 26 per cent

8. Theatre 25 per cent

9. Art, photography or sculpture exhibitions 22 per cent

10. Carnival 19 per cent

11. Pantomime 14 per cent

12. Live dance event 12 per cent

13. Street arts or circus 11 per cent

14. Classical music 10 per cent

15. Culturally specific event

8 per cent

16. Literary event 8 per cent

17. Electronic art 8 per cent

18. Opera 6 per cent

19. Jazz 6 per cent