A village has been praised as outstanding in a county-wide award scheme.

Redbourn was commended by the judges in the CPRE Hertfordshire’s Rural Living Awards for encouraging rural community life and caring for the rural environment.

It received three awards at the presentation evening held last week at County Hall in Hertford.

Singled out for praise and recipient of the environment award was the village infants school for its eco council - the only infants school to have one.

Judge Rob Rees said: “What is remarkable about the school is how, since the eco council was started just three years ago, thinking about impact on the environment and sustainable living is now ingrained in everything the school does.

“These young people will become the decision makers of the future and we can only be positve and optimistic about this.”

Redbourn’s East Common Play Area won the community category award. Accessible to all and providing a range of equipment for children up to the age of 12, the community was praised by judge Judith Watson for starting again from scratch when the play area became old and worn out and creating a new one accessible to all.

She went on: “There were innumberable surveys of children in the village. Through an impressive number of fundraising events involving the whole community, the committee raised £70,000.”

The third award went to James Crawley who reconstituted the Redbourn youth parish council despite indifferent health. He also raised money for the youth club and learnt braille to help others.

James received the Dorothy Abel Smith Award for a young person aged up to 18 who has made an outstanding contribution to rural living.