A restored park has received a top accolade in a record-breaking year.

The Level in Brighton has been awarded Green Flag status bringing the number of approved green spaces in the city to its highest level ever.

The city centre park joins Easthill Park, Hove Park, Kipling Gardens, Preston Park, St Ann’s Well Gardens and Stoneham Park in achieving the coveted Green Flag status from Keep Britain Tidy.

The city-centre Level was transformed by a restoration project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Veolia Environmental Trust which saw the creation of a new cafe, children’s playground and skatepark.

It joins St Ann’s Well Gardens in Hove on the Green Flag list which was named for the fifteenth year in a row while Preston Park is celebrating the status for a 14th successive year.

Councillor Lizzie Deane, deputy chair of the environment, transport and sustainability committee, said: “Being awarded a Green Flag for The Level really is the icing on the cake for our £2.3 million restoration project.

“It shows that not only have we transformed the area into a safe and inviting recreation space for families, we have also met the highest standards for maintenance and facilities.”

Elsewhere in the county, Arun District Council are celebrating three Green Flags for Mewsbrook Park in Littlehampton, Marine Park Gardens in Aldwick and Hotham Park in Bognor while Tilgate Park, Buchan Country Park, Goffs Park and the Memorial Gardens, all in Crawley, retained the status.

Princes Park in Eastbourne, Alexandra Park in Hastings, Hastings Country Park, St Leonards Gardens, Lewes District Council’s Castle Hill Newhaven Nature Reserve and Lewes Railway Land Nature Reserve and Rother District Council’s Egerton Park all made it on the list.

Worthing Borough Council’s Highdown Gardens and Beech Hurst Gardens in Haywards Heath were also awarded a Green Flag.