LEAFY Hillingdon now has more Green Flags than anywhere else in the world after bagging eight awards last week.

The west London borough now has 42 awards — it’s highest ever — after the ceremony on July 20.

The newly-awarded parks are Northwood Recreation Ground, the Polish War Memorial, Philpots Farm, Hogs Back, Pinn Meadow, Pinkwell Park, West Drayton Cemetery and Park Road Green.

Councillor Jonathan Bianco, said: “The Green Flag awards are the highest accolade for parks and green spaces and it’s a phenomenal achievement for the council to gain eight new flags in one year and have more than 40 in total.

“We’d really like to thank council officers, and community and volunteer groups for all of their hard work and dedication in making this happen.”

Now the competition is open to international entrants, Hillingdon wears the crown for not only having more Green Flag awards than any other local authority but across the globe.

The council is especially pleased that its Polish War Memorial Garden was awarded a Green Flag.

The former wasteland was transformed by the council in honour of the polish lives lost at war.

It opened last year and is now a quiet space with wild flower beds, trees and benches.

The Green Flag Awards were launched in England in 1996, today there are winners across the UK (1264), Northern Ireland (46), the Republic of Ireland (22), Germany (11), The Netherlands (7), Finland (1), Australia (7), New Zealand (4) and the United Arab Emirates (4).