More than 1,000 parks and green spaces across England and Wales have picked up the Green Flag Award for 2009, the national standard designed to recognise sites offering high environmental quality.

The number of green spaces that received the award increased by more than 200 in 2009, while 96 green spaces received the Green Pennant Award - presented to sites managed by voluntary groups - and a further 46 picked up the Green Heritage Site prize. Supported by the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Green Flag Awards are administered by a consortium comprising Keep Britain Tidy, GreenSpace and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV)

Paul Bramhill, chief executive of GreenSpace, said: "The Green Flag accreditation is becoming key to attracting visitors and local people to parks and promoting them as a high quality leisure destination." In addition to England and Wales, the Green Flag Award scheme is currently being piloted in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Holland.