AMMAN Valley Trotting Club and Riverside Park, Pontardawe have each been announced as community winners at the Green Flag awards.

The flags will be flying at the venues in recognition of their excellent visitor facilities, high environmental standards, and commitment to delivering a great quality green space.

Cllr Peter Rees, Neath Port Talbot Council's cabinet member for education, skills and culture said: "It's a great accolade for this authority that we have this recognition of excellence at some of our best known visitor destinations and parks and I'd like to thank the staff at those locations for the hard work they have put in during trying circumstances."

A total of 224 parks and green spaces across Wales have received the prestigious Green Flag Award and Green Flag Community Award - from country parks and formal gardens, to allotments, woodlands and churchyards.

The Green Flag Award programme is delivered in Wales by environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy, with support from Welsh Government. Independent green space experts volunteered their time in early autumn to judge applicant sites against eight strict criteria, including biodiversity, cleanliness, environmental management, and community involvement.

Lucy Prisk, the Green Flag Coordinator at Keep Wales Tidy, said: “The pandemic has shown just how important high-quality parks and green spaces are to our communities. For many of us, they have been a haven on our doorstep and a benefit to our health and well-being.

“The 224 flags flying this year are a testament to the hard work of staff and volunteers who have maintained excellent standards under the most challenging circumstances. I’d like to congratulate and thank them all for their outstanding commitment.”

A full list of award winners can be found on the Keep Wales Tidy website www.keepwalestidy.cymru