THREE Monmouthshire parks have been honoured in a scheme that rewards the best green spaces in the country.

The Old Station, Tintern and Caldicot Castle Country Park, along with Castle Meadows in Abergavenny, have been given Green Flag awards. The scheme is a UK-wide partnership, delivered in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy with support from the Welsh Government.

The awards were first launched in 1996 to recognise and reward the best green spaces in the country. The first awards were given in 1997 and, many years later, they continue to provide the benchmark against which parks and green spaces in Wales are measured.

The awards are judged by an army of green space experts, who volunteer their time to visit applicant sites and assess them against eight criteria, including horticultural standards, cleanliness, sustainability and community involvement. 

This year, a total of 78 parks in Wales achieved the award.