Thorncombe Woods and Hardy's Birthplace have been awarded prestigious Green Flag Awards, being recognised as some of the country's best parks.

They join Avon Heath, Durlston, Stour Meadows, The Milldown and Black Heath in a record-breaking year for Dorset Council's country parks.

The award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

Councillor Ray Bryan, Dorset Council's portfolio holder for highways, travel and environment, said: "This is a fantastic result and an important reminder of how important our country parks and greenspaces are to the public and visitors to Dorset. They are places where we can all enjoy wildlife, landscape, outdoor activities of Dorset or just catching up with friends in the fresh air.

"Winning these awards is recognition of what superb parks we have and a way of saying thank you to the hard-working employees and volunteers that maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award."

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

Paul Todd, Keep Britain Tidy accreditation manager, said: "I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making these parks worthy of a Green Flag Award. 

"Country parks are vital green spaces for the community in Dorset. This award is testament to all the hard work of staff and volunteers, who do so much to ensure that it maintains the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award."