AN historic park in the heart of Woodbridge has won a prestigious Green Flag Award - for the seventh year running.Elmhurst Park has been awarded the Civic Trust honour for meeting national standards for parks and green spaces and is the only town council park in England and Wales to have won the award so many times.

AN historic park in the heart of Woodbridge has won a prestigious Green Flag Award - for the seventh year running.

Elmhurst Park has been awarded the Civic Trust honour for meeting national standards for parks and green spaces and is the only town council park in England and Wales to have won the award so many times.

The park is owned and looked after by Woodbridge Town Council and mayor Les Binns said he was delighted at the success.

“The renewal of this prestigious award makes Elmhurst one of the top 500 parks in England and Wales,” he said.

“It is all the more prestigious for Woodbridge as the town council is a small organisation with four directly employed staff and has consistently competed, and won, against much bigger parks and organisations.”

The judges assess eight criteria before awarding a Green Flag - the park has to be a welcoming place; healthy, safe and secure; well maintained and clean; and there have to be sustainability, conservation and heritage projects, community involvement, and good marketing and management.

In their report the judges said: “The park is maintained and managed to a high standard by committed and knowledgeable staff.

“The town council has a park of which they are justifiably proud and it is most certainly a jewel in the crown of Woodbridge - once again the judges have no hesitation in awarding Elmhurst a Green Flag Award.”

The judges were also impressed that a friends group has formed with a view to them becoming involved in the long-term management and maintenance of the park.

For details of how to join the friends group, call the town clerk Chris Walker on 01394 383599.