Archive - Wednesday, 4 June 2003


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Inland beach wins Blue Flag award

A BEACH in the Cotswolds has become the first and only inland beach in Britain to win a coveted award.

The children's beach at Keynes Country Park has won the Blue Flag award, an international benchmark for all beaches to work towards.

To receive this award it is necessary to comply with the bathing water standards set by the EC Bathing water directive.

The beach must also provide a safe and healthy environment for families to visit and a range of exceptional amenities including toilets, clean eating facilities and lifeguards.

Water park chief executive Roger Brown said: "It is a great achievement for the park to receive this award, it is a credit to all the dedication and hard work of the ranger team who maintain Keynes Park.

"The award reflects our aim to make Keynes Country Park a beacon park by becoming the best in the country."

During the course of one year the Cotswold Water Park Society spends in the region of £100,000 maintaining Keynes Park.

Mr Brown said: "The success of the park has previously been recognised internationally.

"Within the past year we have been contacted by international park managers from Europe and the Philippines to ask our advice on managing similar attractions."

Mr Brown has been asked to make a presentation at the awards ceremony at the end of the year.

Throughout Britain only 105 Blue Flags have been awarded, 22 of these are from the South West region.

The Blue Flag scheme is managed by Environmental Campaigns (ENCAMS) on behalf of the international Blue Flag jury and Foundation for Environmental Education.