IT’S green flags galore in Christchurch with beauty spots awarded for their quality and upkeep.

For the third year running, Christchurch Quay has been awarded a Green Flag, a sign that an area meets the national quality standard for parks and green spaces.

Mayor of Christchurch, Cllr Denise Jones, raised the flag at the splash park on the Quomps.

She said: “Congratulations to everyone involved in achieving this honour for the third year in succession.

“I know that a lot of people - councillors, officers and a number of local volunteers - put in many hours of work to make sure that Christchurch Quay, along with the splash park, remains a special place for our residents and visitors.

“Many of us remember the paddling pool that was here for many years but I’m sure everyone agrees that the splash park offers a much better facility.

“This must be one of the most scenic water parks in the country and you only have to look around at the happy children to see how popular it is with them.”

And Roeshot Hill Allotment Association is also celebrating their third year as winners of the Green Flag community award.

The site is one of only eight such awards made in the south-west region and in total, only seven working allotments won Green Flags out of the 170 awards made across the whole of the UK.

Plot-holders said they were particularly pleased with the recognition, especially after Christchurch council rejected their application for listing as a community asset.

The association made the application to prevent a large housing development being built on allotment land.

The development was objected to by residents and allotment holders during the consultation process last year.

Life president and plot-holder for almost 40 years, Hugh Merrett, said: “We hope this award will count in our favour when the council applies to central government for the sale of our statutory site.”