WORCESTER City Council has been presented with an award for the safety and security of one of its car parks.

West Mercia police have given the 100-space Tallow Hill car park its most prestigious security accolade.

The chief inspector of the Worcester division, Rod Reynolds, presented council leader Stephen Inman, with the award, which recognises the steps taken to reduce the number of thefts of and from cars in car parks throughout the city.

It is the first award of its kind to be presented to the council for one of its own car parks, although car parks at the CrownGate shopping centre and the Worcester north

park-and-ride scheme have already achieved similar "secure" status.

The Tallow Hill site was resurfaced and redesigned because of the nearby St Modwen development scheme.

It is regularly patrolled, signage has been improved and CCTV added.

Now plans are underway to bring the remaining 15 council-operated car parks up to the same standard, within the next two to three years.