TWO of the best-loved parks in Ipswich have today been given prestigious Green Flag awards – while a popular park in Woodbridge has also received the accolade.

Christchurch Park has become a Green Flag regular, but this year’s award is a first for Holywells Park.

Green Flags recognise the best parks in the country and applicants had to demonstrate an excellent use of green space, well-maintained facilities and high standard of safety and security.

Byrony Rudkin, culture portfolio-holder at the borough, said: “This is a fantastic result and shows that we have some beautiful and well-run parks.

“But it also shows the hard work put in by the Friends groups of both parks and by our dedicated staff. I thank them all for their efforts and for this achievement.”

Elmhurst Park in Woodbridge has also been given the top accolade, celebrating its outstanding credentials for the tenth successive year.

It is among those included in the list of Green Flag Award winners for 2011/12.

The town council said it was “very pleased and very proud” that the park had been recognised yet again.

Town mayor Martin Sylvester, said he was “delighted” that the park was again included in the list of winners.

He said: “The renewal of this prestigious award makes Elmhurst one of the top parks in England and Wales.

“This award is all the more prestigious for Woodbridge, as the town council, being a small organisation with four directly employed staff, had consistently competed and won against much bigger parks and organisations and he felt this record could not be beaten.”

Phil Barton, Green Flag Plus Partnership chairman said: “I would like to congratulate this year’s winners, who have worked hard throughout the year to keep their parks and green spaces at a high standard and ensure they are pleasant and enjoyable spaces for the whole community.

“The Green Flag Award Scheme, and its growth, is essential in driving up the standards of our parks and green spaces.” The Green Flag scheme is run by the Green Flag Plus Partnership, which consists of environmental charities Keep Britain Tidy, BTCV and GreenSpace.

n What do you think of Suffolk’s parks? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN.