A park included in a police dispersal zone has been recognised in a safety award scheme.

Hares Bank, New Addington was given a bronze 2012 Safer Park award by the Mayor of London on Monday February 27.

The award recognises the work of police council officers and the community to make open spaces safe for the public.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: “I have always promised to protect and to improve the green spaces and parks of this great city, and I am immensely proud of the progress I have made. Londoners, quite rightly, love and cherish their parks so we are right to make them safer and more attractive wherever we can, for everyone to enjoy.”

Hares Bank is part of the police dispersal zone in New Addington, giving officers powers to order groups of people behaving anti-socially to leave for more than 24 hours.

The order runs to August this year.