OKEHAMPTON'S Simmons Park showed its importance to the community on OCRA Super Sporting Sunday — and the town council took the opportunity to celebrate its significance.

Sunday saw the unveiling of the park's Fields in Trust plaque, given to Okehampton Town Council as part of the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge. The challenge was a UK-wide programme to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee, London Olympic and Paralympic Games, and 2014 Commonwealth Games by permanently protecting as many outdoor recreational spaces as they could by the end of 2012.

More than 1,500 parks applied nationally for the status, and Simmons Park was one of those chosen to receive the protected status. Town mayor Cllr the Rev Mike Davies unveiled the plaque.

He said: 'It really is an honour for the town and particularly to Simmons Park to have received the Queen Elizabeth II Fields in Trust status. It provides greater protection on the park for the years to come. A big thank you must be given to park-keeper David Whitfield and his team for keeping the park in such a splendid condition each and every year. It is another wonderful event for the town.'