THERE was a double celebration on a green when two St Albans villages received their awards in an annual competition.

Redbourn was presented with a trophy as community category winners in the Herts Village of the Year competition and Park Street received a plaque and cheque as Village of the Year West.

Sir Simon Bowes Lyons, president of CPRE – Campaign for the Preservation of Rural England – unveiled the trophy which was presented to Redbourn councillor David Mitchell at the ceremony held on the green at the junction of Tippendell Lane and Penn Road, Park Street.

And after several speeches, a plaque was presented to St Stephen parish councillor Ian Getley who represents Park Street, watched by the Mayor of St Albans and Park Street district councillor Aislinn Lee.

Redbourn was described in the citation for its award as a thriving community which never stands still and continually looks at ways of improving while Park Street was praised for having a heart and identity of its own despite lying deep within the commuter belt with traffic thundering through it.

Kevin Fitzgerald, director of CPRE Herts, said: “It was a very nice day. One of the upsides is that all the village turned out, Cubs, Scouts, local residents. Everything went without a hiccup.”