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A new study has revealed the top 10 areas of the UK with the best quality of greens and parks.

With a score of 100/100, Harrogate is rated in joint 1st place.

Lagging behind in sixth and seventh places, respectively, are Cambridge with a score of 90.52 and Oxford with 88.24.

Harrogate is number one for greens and parks in the whole UK - The cherry tree blossom in full bloom on The Stray. (Picture Gerard Binks)

The data is the result of experts at Utility Bidder who analysed a range of factors including CO2 emissions, environmental expenditure, area cleanliness, park quality, Britain in Bloom groups and It’s Your Neighbourhood groups per 100,000 residents.

On top of that, the company calculated the number of recycling-related searches per 100,000 residents, to reveal the cleanest areas in the UK.

Harrogate’s chart-topping UK success; only Warwick was rated its equal in greens and parks, would not have been possible without its two gems – the Stray and the Valley Gardens.

Consisting of 200 acres of contiguous open land linking what were originally the town's spa springs and wells, the much-loved Stray dates back to 1778 and has been protected by law since the 1890s.

An unusual aerial picture of the Valley Gardens in Harrogate in the snow. (Picture Marcus Corazzi)

The award-winning and heritage-filled Valley Gardens are an English Heritage Grade II Listed gardens located in Low Harrogate covering 17 acres in total.

Its family-friendly facilities include a play park, a boating lake, a skate park, Japanese gardens and The Old Magnesia Well Pump Room.

The study’s assessment concludes that: “it appears that Harrogate hasn't put a foot wrong when it comes to conserving wildlife as they provide visitors with acres of environmentally-friendly facilities.”

Other towns in the top ten chart for the quality of their green and parks include County Durham which was third, Milton Keynes in fourth place and Swansea fifth.

The methodology also included Numbeo, the world's largest cost of living database; data from government websites and GOV.UK to find the estimated CO2 emissions for each local authority.

Utility Bidder helps UK businesses connect with business energy suppliers in order to secure affordable energy rates.

To find the full research, visit: https://www.utilitybidder.co.uk/compare-business-energy/cleanest-uk-cities/#undefined

Official: Harrogate beats Cambridge and Oxford as top town in UK for greens and parks