MONMOUTHSHIRE county council has nominated 12 playing fields as part of a new initiative to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

The council has entered sites it owns in Caldicot, Caerwent, Chepstow, Cross Ash, Undy, Monmouth, Raglan and Abergavenny in The Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge (QE2FC), led by its Patron Prince William.

The landmark project aims to protect playing fields in communities across the UK that will become known as Queen Elizabeth Fields next year.

Criteria for the nominated sites says they must not be smaller than 0.5 acres, open to the public and accessible.

Monmouthshire council has submitted its nominations which will be included in a national public vote to chose 1,512 sites across the country.

There are currently five designated sites which cannot be put forward in Monmouthshire.

Caldicot, Govilon and St Arvans already have King George V Playing Fields which were established as a memorial to the late Monarch after his death in 1936, whilst Llanellen and Usk have Owain Glyndwr Fields.

Fields in Trust currently protects 1,271 fields and has asked each authority in the UK to nominate fields it wants protected.

The nominated sites are Belgrave Park, Lower Meadow in Abergavenny, Caerwent Playing Field in Caerwent. Birbeck Road Park, Land Hall Park, Denny View in Caldicot.

Bulwark Park, The Danes Open Space in Chepstow. Cross Ash Playing Field, Millfield Park Open Space in Undy, Monmouth Town Field in Monmouth and Prince Charles Road Play Park, Raglan.

To find out more go to www.qe2fields.com