South West parks win Green Flag awards

Freedom Fields Park was one of the 26 parks and green spaces in Devon to receive recognition with Green Flag awards

Parks and other green spaces in Devon and Cornwall have achieved Green Flag awards.

Twenty-seven spots across the two counties were recognised with the Green Flag award and five with the Green Flag community award.

The awards recognised spaces across the region which achieved the international quality standard for parks and green spaces.

Erika Diaz Petersen, Historic England's principal national landscape adviser, said: "Heritage is at the heart of our green infrastructure networks, from public parks to our canal network, providing crucial benefits for people and nature, and a critical resource for climate resilience."

In Cornwall, Camborne Recreation Ground, run by Camborne Town Council, received the Green Flag award.

Twenty-six parks and green spaces in Devon received recognition in the Green Flag award.

This included Grand Western Canal Country Park, Freedom Fields Park in Plymouth, Courtenay Park in Newton Abbot, and others.

Five parks and green spaces in the South West were also awarded the Green Flag community award.

Spaces awarded Green Heritage Site Accreditation included Princess Gardens, Royal Terrace Gardens and Tessier Gardens.

The Green Flag award was launched 29 years ago and set the benchmark international quality classification for parks and green spaces.

Ms Peresen added: "Historic England is pleased to support Green Heritage Site Accreditation, which recognises the achievements of Green Flag Award winners who meet additional criteria and care for, share and celebrate the heritage of their sites."

Keep Britain Tidy's chief executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, congratulated the winners.

She added: "Our quality parks and green spaces make the UK a heathier place in which to live and work, and a stronger place in which to invest."