Warley Woods is voted England's favourite park

A park in Sandwell has been voted as England's favourite green space in a national competition, it was revealed today.

Warley Woods in Smethwick has taken silver in the UK-wide annual Green Flag People's Choice Awards.

And in another major coup for the borough, Tipton Cemetery came in at number 10.

The Sandwell green spaces, which had already won Green Flag recognition, are the only two in the West Midlands to appear in the People's Choice top ten.

It means the 100-acre park, which is run by Warley Woods Community Trust, is the number one favourite green space in England. It was only pipped to the top spot by a Victorian railway station in Monmouthshire, Wales.

Tipton Cemetery has only recently won a Green Flag Award and is the only cemetery in the West Midlands to hold the accolade, given to well-looked after green spaces.

The borough's council leader Darren Cooper today hailed the win as "fantastic" for putting Sandwell on the map. He said: "I'm absolutely thrilled. These awards dispel the myth that Sandwell is all about factories and industry."

Councillor Steve Eling, who is the chair of the Warley Woods Community Trust, added: "This is fantastic news for Warley Woods and it's a clear indication of the fantastic value that the local community has for the park.