THE Knap Gardens in Barry have been named as one of the first time recipients of a Keep Wales Tidy Green Flag Award - the mark of a quality green space.

In a record breaking year a total of 110 parks and green spaces in Wales have met the high standard needed to receive the Green Flag Award.

The Green Flag Award is a UK-wide partnership, delivered in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy with support from Natural Resources Wales.

It is judged by an army of green space experts, who volunteer their time to visit applicant sites and assess them against eight strict criteria, including horticultural standards, cleanliness, sustainability and community involvement.

Emyr Roberts, Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales said: “Our parks and green spaces play an important role in our communities, and we often take for granted the benefits they provide.

“They are vital places for our health and wellbeing – whether to unwind and relax, to exercise, or to socialise with friends and neighbours.

“And we’re not the only ones to benefit, as our parks wouldn’t be the great places they are without the abundance of plants and wildlife which live there.

“I congratulate all the winners and participants in this year’s Green Flag Awards.”

Lucy Prisk, Green Flag Coordinator at Keep Wales Tidy said: “We are delighted to be celebrating a record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme. I’m particularly pleased to see that people are embracing different types of green space such as universities, cemeteries and community gardens.

“All the flags flying this year are a testament to the efforts of the hundreds of men and women, both staff and volunteers, who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”