THE mayor of Hillingdon has helped raise the latest of the council's Green Flags at Eastcote House Gardens.

Earlier this summer it was announced that Hillingdon Council had won a further three awards, taking its total to 19 and meaning the borough had more area of Green Flag parkland than anywhere else in London.

The national award, which is decided after a visit by external judges, is based on criteria including community involvement, sustainability, conservation and cleanliness.

The Friends of Eastcote House gardens volunteer group has been credited with helping the park win its first Green Flag and dozens of its members were invited to the flag-raising event on Wednesday (14).

Chairman Lesley Crowcroft told the Gazette: "It is quite a rigorous judging process they go through to win and it does indicate that we are a garden of excellence. It will help us a lot to win funding in future."

The Friends are six months into a £1million appeal to restore the Tudor buildings on site. They hope to convince conservation trusts and lottery grant bodies to provide much of the money they need.

An open day was held at the gardens on Sunday (18).