Two country parks in Huntingdonshire have received prestigious Green Flag awards.

Hinchingbrooke Country Park, in Huntingdon, and the Paxton Pits Nature Reserve, at Little Paxton, join Priory Park, in St Neots, in being awarded the accolade.

The award is the parks equivalent of the Blue Flag award for beaches.

The award assesses accessibility, community involvement and cleanliness as well as safety and security.

Councillor John Palmer, executive councillor for partnerships and wellbeing, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive the Green Flag award again, as this justifiably rewards the huge efforts by our operations team in recent months, and clearly demonstrates the extremely high standards we are striving to achieve across all our green spaces throughout the district.”

Huntingdonshire District Council says the award is also recognition of all the volunteers and community groups who help to maintain and run the facilities.

“They have succeeded in raising and applying for funding to make improvements, as well as undertaking work planting trees, wood-chipping paths and putting up bird and bat boxes,” said a spokesman for the council.

International Green Flag award scheme manager, Paul Todd, said: “It has been a record-breaking year for Green Flag awards, and it’s fantastic to see such a diverse range of locations have been recognised.”

INFO: If you are interested in volunteering or helping to start a friends group for your local park, contact: environmental.services@huntingdonshire.gov.uk or call 01480 388388 and ask for the environmental services development team.