The Egyptian pyramids top the list of sights Britons most want to see in their lifetime, according to a survey.

But even though they were able to opt for any world landmark, as many as 19 per cent of Britons said they would like to see the Big Ben before they died.

Second to the pyramids as a must-see spectacle was the northern lights, followed by the Taj Mahal, Niagara Falls and the Statue of Liberty.

Two more American spectacles, Mount Rushmore in South Dakota and the Grand Canyon in Arizona, also made it into the top 10, as did Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and the canals of Venice.

Respondents were allowed to pick more than one option, with 89 per cent opting for the pyramids and 77 per cent for the northern lights.

A total of 54 per cent of the 1,489 people polled said they were hopeful of making their landmark dreams come true.

Sunshine.co.uk co-founder Chris Brown said: “It was no surprise to see sights like the northern lights and Grand Canyon in the top 10, but Big Ben was a bit of a mystery.

“London’s only a short train or car journey away for most people, so that’s a fair bit easier to see than taking a long flight to Australia to see the Great Barrier Reef.”