SOME of Birmingham’s 400 parks and open spaces are so ravaged by graffiti and vandalism they look like ‘war zones’, the politician in charge of the city’s leisure facilities has said.

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.”

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