A BURNLEY park has been chosen to receive one of 40 national awards for its high standards of cleanliness and appearance.

Thompson Park, which was also part of the recent North West in Bloom competition, will receive a Green Flag Award at a ceremony in London, in September.

A panel of judges assessed the park on its standards of safety, cleanliness and accessibility, environmental protection and enhancement, community use and involvement and landscape maintenance. The judges also met with staff from the Council's Parks department who will keep the award for one year.

Funded by a three-year grant from the Environment Action Fund and the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions, the awards scheme is a joint project of the Pesticides Trust, the Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management , The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management and English Nature.

Only one other park in Lancashire currently holds the Green Flag Award - Worden Park, in Leyland.

Councillor Barry Guttridge, chairman of the recreation and leisure services committee, said: "Our success is recognition for the commitment of both members and staff to the management of Burnley's parks."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.