SOME of Birmingham’s 400 parks and open spaces are so ravaged by graffiti and vandalism that they represent “war zones”, the politician in charge of the city’s leisure facilities has declared.

Council cabinet member Martin Mullaney said he was shocked after visiting scores of venues when taking office last year.

He’s now declared war on anti-social behaviour and is demanding a city-wide clean up.

Coun Mullaney (Lib Dem Moseley & Kings Heath) said: “Some of our parks look like war zones, and this cannot go on.”

He’s ordered park rangers to adopt a minimum standard to ensure that graffiti and “anti-social behaviour” is removed from all leisure spaces in the city.

Coun Mullaney said: “I don’t want to name any particular locations, but when I became cabinet member I went around Birmingham to see for myself.