TATTON Park and The Moor in Knutsford are celebrating after retaining their Green Flag status.

These cherished open spaces are among more than 11 of the borough’s parks, nature reserves and green spaces this summer.

Cheshire East Council has retained the prestigious National Green Flag Award for the quality, condition and overall cleanliness of its parks and open spaces in several of its towns.

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Tatton Park, Congleton Park and Queens Park have also kept their Green Heritage Site status.

The awards are made each year by Keep Britain Tidy, under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLHC).

The Green Flag Award is an international quality ‘kitemark’ for parks, green spaces, and beaches and is a benchmark standard for the management of green spaces in the UK and around the world.

Green Flags have been awarded to and retained by Tatton Park, The Moor, Knutsford, Queens Park, Crewe,  Congleton Park, Sandbach Park, Milton Park, Alsager, Bollington Recreation Ground, Tegg’s Nose Country Park, Brereton Heath Nature Reserve, Fountain Fields, Middlewich and Macclesfield Riverside Park.

Tatton Park, Congleton Park and Queens Park received both a Green Flag Award and a Green Heritage Site accreditation.

This accreditation is supported by Historic England for the management of a park’s particular historic features.

Cllr Mick Warren, chairman of Cheshire East Council’s environment and communities committee, said: “This is a worthy achievement and our countryside rangers service along with our colleagues at Ansa and Tatton Park all deserve credit for their hard work.

“Recognition like this is also a key marker to show that we are working hard to become carbon neutral by 2025.

“The more people there are enjoying our amazing open spaces, then the more we are contributing towards that goal.”

“This achievement is a terrific feather in the cap of our volunteers and ‘Friends’ groups as well, without whom none of this would be possible.

"Their support through creating paths, building and repairing fencing, habitat creation, gardening and running fundraising events is nothing less than first class.”

Cllr Mark Goldsmith, chairman of the council’s economy and growth committee, said: “In Cheshire East we are proud of the abundance of green open spaces that we have, including those under the council’s ownership and management, and Keep Britain Tidy has recognised the council’s commitment to maintaining those places to the highest possible standard.

“We are blessed to have such wonderful countryside sites and of course, Tatton Park is an integral part of our visitor economy and a stunning location for people to come to from within the borough and much further afield.”

Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd MBE, said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved at Cheshire East Council for achieving these Green Flag Awards.

“All parks and countryside reserves are vital green spaces for the community in bringing people together and providing opportunities to lead healthy lifestyles.

“The staff and volunteers do so much to ensure that it maintains the high standards of the Green Flag Award and everyone involved should feel extremely proud of their achievement.”