A south London park has been named second best in the UK for those who suffer from hay fever.

Wimbledon Common has one of the lowest pollen counts in the UK, coming second only to Padarn Country Park in Wales.

Research into the pollen counts of various parks was conducted by York Test after Natasha Allergy Research Foundation found that one in four people have hay fever in the UK and the percentage of people diagnosed with hay fever has trebled in the last 30 years.

In the top ten parks with the lowest pollen counts in the UK, Wimbledon Common is the only park in London.

A spokesperson for York Test said: “We have analysed the tree pollen count in the areas surrounding the 100 largest public parks in the country, to help Brits identify which parks to visit and those that could trigger a hay fever outbreak.”

However, four London parks made it into the top 20 list of parks with the highest pollen count in the UK.

These were: Bushy Park, Hampton Court Park, Hampstead Heath, and Belhus Woods Country Park.

Alison Orr at York Test said: “For those with allergies, hay fever can be a stressful experience – wondering when your symptoms will be triggered and if your antihistamines or natural remedies will help.

“Our research highlights where people want to take extra precautions when visiting certain parks and prepare by taking the right medication that suits them.

“For those looking for herbal remedies to alleviate hay fever symptoms, this can include taking more frequent showers and regularly changing your clothes.

“Consuming natural antihistamine foods such as strawberries, broccoli and kiwi may also help to lessen the severity of your symptoms.