Horley Town Council has been named Partner of the Year at the prestigious Fields in Trust Awards ceremony.

The council fought off three other local authorities to win an award that recognises the land owner who best protected and promoted their outdoor recreational space.

As no one from the council had been able to attend the event at Lord’s Cricket Ground, news of the prize caught town Mayor, Councillor Richard Olliver, completely unaware.

Coun Olliver said: “Having found out about it, we’re very pleased! Any award that comes to Horley is good news.

“I think they inspect these things on the quiet so they must have come on a good day.

“We’ve maintained an optimum quality of outdoor spaces for our residents on a relatively small budget and I’m proud to be associated with them.”

The third annual ceremony was presented by Olympic medallist swimmer and BBC pundit Steve Parry.

Helen Griffiths, Chief Executive of Fields Trust said: “We are so pleased by the work and enthusiasm of Horley Town Council...We hope other land owners will follow their committed example.”

This comes after Horley Recreation Ground won a South and South East in Bloom Silver Gilt award in October.

Fields in Trust was founded by King George V in 1925 by Royal Charter and is currently also working on the Centenary Fields project, aimed at protecting commemorative World War I memorial spaces.