Bristol fails in European Green Capital bid

Bristol is the country's only official Cycling City

Bristol has lost its bid to be named the most environmentally-friendly city in Europe.

The winning city, Copenhagen, will now become the European Green Capital for 2014.

Bristol, whose credentials included being the UK's only official Cycling City, was competing with the Danish city and Frankfurt in Germany.

Previous winners of the competition have been Hamburg, in Germany, and Stockholm, in Sweden.

Council Leader Simon Cook said: "To get so far in this competition has been a remarkable achievement for Bristol, particularly when we were up against such strong competitors.

"We are the only UK city to have ever reached the finals in this competition, and we have done so for the second time.

"This sends a clear message that we are a green city that is inspiring change across Europe."

Although the accolade does not come with any cash prize the city council believed the award would have created a thousand jobs in green industries in the city.

The European Green Capital Award recognises the role local authorities play in improving the environment and their high level of commitment to genuine progress.