Lydiard Park has been given the thumbs-up by a major tourism body.

The Swindon Council-owned park has been awarded the VAQAS (Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme) Award by VisitEngland.

As a result it can now display the familiar red and white Tudor rose symbol, signifying that stringent quality standards have been met.

The assessment for the VAQAS Award was carried out in an undercover visit by an experienced and professional assessor.

It took into account all areas of the attraction, the quality of the facilities and the entire visitor experience, from the initial telephone enquiry right through to final departure.

Garry Perkins, Swindon Council’s cabinet member responsible for Lydiard Park, said: “We are pleased and proud that Lydiard Park has been recognised as a quality visitor destination and joins Steam, the museum of the Great Western Railway, in receiving a VAQAS Award.

“It’s great to receive this level of recognition from Visit- England and we are delighted that our visitors can feel confident they will receive a very high standard of customer service and enjoy a really good quality visitor experience when they come to both of these heritage sites.”

The VisitEngland recognition is the latest in a number of awards the park has recently received. Last July Lydiard House was given “accredited” status by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), while the park as a whole was awarded a Green Flag as well as being handed Green Heritage status.

Lydiard Park is open daily, entry is free. Lydiard House and the Walled Garden are open Tuesday to Sunday 11am to 5pm and Bank Holiday Mondays, admission charge applies.

For more information, visit the website at www.lydiardpark.org.uk, Facebook at www.facebook.com/lydiardpark or call 01793 770401.