Ashby Bath Grounds has been given a Green Flag Award for the first time.

Today (Wednesday), parks and green spaces across the country will be raising their Green Flag with pride in a year when millions of people have seen the value of having great quality green spaces on their doorstep.

And the Bath Grounds is among them - with Ashby the only Town Council to achieve the award in Leicestershire.

The Green Flag Award scheme recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for their management across the United Kingdom and around the world.

It is managed by environmental charity Keep BritainTidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Ashby Bath Grounds is one of more than 2,000 sites across the country to collect the award for 2020.

The aim of the Green Flag Award is to ensure that everyone has access to a quality green space and to enable them to live more healthy lifestyles.

Councillor John Coxon, Leader of Ashby de la Zouch Town Council, said: "I am absolutely delighted that the Town Council has been successful - against all of the odds - in its application for a Green Flag Award for Ashby Bath Grounds.

"We have shown that running the Bath Grounds, which are well-used and valued by our community, is about more than just cutting the grass.

"We have established that effective management and the use of skilled staff, along with the support of the local community, are key to creating a fantastic public park.

"I believe that we are the only Town Council in Leicestershire to have achieved this award.

"I understand that there are 14 award holders in the County, all of whom - with the exception of Stafford Orchard Park in Quorn - are principal authorities.

"We can now add Green Flag to Purple Flag and the Local Council Award Scheme Gold Award in our list of nationally recognised achievements."

Councillor Roger Bayliss, Chairman of the Town Council's Parks & Cemetery Committee added: "This is another huge achievement for the town and testament to all of the hard work put in over the last few years by the Town Council's grounds maintenance team and many volunteers."

Commenting on Ashby's success, Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: "This year, more than ever, our parks and green spaces have been a lifeline and we know that millions of people have used them to relax, meet friends, exercise or simply escape for a short time."

"It is testament to the incredible dedication and hard work of parks staff and volunteers that, despite the challenges that went along with record numbers of visitors, Ashby Bath Grounds has achieved the highest international standards demanded by the Green Flag Award."

Any green space that is free to enter and accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award.

Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag Award status.

A Green Flag Community Award recognises quality sites managed by voluntary and community groups.

Green Heritage Site accreditation is judged on the treatment of the site's historic features and the standard of conservation.