BLOOMING beautiful parks across the district have been recognised as some of the best in the country.

Peel Park, Undercliffe; Harold Park, Low Moor; Lister Park, Manningham; Roberts Park, Saltaire; Central Park, Haworth and Cliffe Castle, Keighley, have all retained their prestigious Green Flag Award.

The Green Flag Award scheme is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and is the benchmark national standard for parks and green spaces in the UK.

Cliffe Castle Park has also been awarded Green Heritage Site Accreditation by the same organisation, following a major refurbishment project backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Green Flag award scheme is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.

Lister Park has also been nominated as a contender for the UK’s Best Park by another green spaces charity, the Fields in Trust.

People can vote for Lister Park, which boasts Cartwright Hall within its grounds and a beautiful sea of crocuses in spring, by visiting www.fieldsintrust.org/best-park

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: "This is just great news all round for the district’s parks. We know how much quality green spaces matter to residents and visitors, so our hard working staff try their best to maintain the highest standards possible.

“Awards like this also provide an opportunity for us to recognise how much we value the contribution made by volunteers in the various park Friends groups who help to keep our parks looking their best. We are fortunate to have such beautiful parks in our district and they are great places to spend time with family and friends.

“There are some fantastic events planned in our parks over the summer because we want to give people extra opportunities to enjoy them even more.”

Any green space which is freely accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award.

They are given every year and winners must apply each year to renew their status.

Green Heritage Site Accreditation is judged on the condition and maintenance of the site’s historic character and the use and enjoyment of its historic features.

There were a record number of applications into this year's award, with more than 2,000 sites bidding for the prestigious award.

These included world-famous parks to local community green spaces.

Cemeteries, university campuses, woodlands and nature reserves joined the growing list of parks and green spaces striving to achieve the international standard.

Paul Todd, Green Flag Award Manager said: "It's testament to the hard work and dedication of the many park managers, staff and volunteers that we have more applications in the UK than ever before.

"It really goes to show how important quality parks and green spaces are to local communities."

Volunteer judges travelled across the country to assess the applications.