Warminster Town Council are celebrating as the Town Park is given a Green Flag Award, just one year after taking it over.

Warminster Town Park, The Lake Pleasure Grounds, has been recognised as one of the best green spaces after receiving the prestigious international award.

After being taken over from the Wiltshire Council in June last year, Warminster Town Council are delighted with the park’s achievement after recent refurbishments were made to the pavilion café, new flower beds planted and the lake island was tidied up.

The international award, now into its third decade recognises the high environmental standards, as well as excellent maintenance and visitor facilities

Warminster Deputy Mayor, Cllr Tony Nicklin said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a Green Flag Award for the first time.

“We know how much green spaces matter to residents and visitors, and this award celebrates the dedication that goes into maintaining Warminster Town Park to such a high standard.”

The current site of the park is 6.5 hectares and adjoins an additional 20.49 hectares of meadows and nature reserve, known as Smallbrook Meadows Nature Reserve, which is leased to and managed by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and is not included in the Green Flag application.

Stuart Legg, Director and Supervisor at the park said: “We are so pleased with this achievement, and it so nice to see all the staff’s hard work pay off.

“We hold many events here and the park is always full of people in the summer months.”

Plans for long-term aspirations for the park are already being discussed, including re-doing the tennis courts and skate park and reinstating rowing boats on the lake.

The park was formally opened by the Marquis of Bath in July 1924, and since then has become one of the most popular green spaces in the county, as the Green Park Award has now recognised.