GREEN Party leader Natalie Bennett hammered home the importance of making the most of the borough's green spaces during a trip to Netherton Park.

She joined Bill McComish, who will stand in the target ward of Netherton, Woodside and St Andrew's in May's local elections, to see the facilities the park has to offer.

She described the park - one of five healthy hubs located within Dudley borough which is home to an outdoor gym and multi-use games area - as "beautiful" but said as Dudley Council is having to make cut backs, she was concerned that services on offer at the hub could be affected.

Ms Bennett added: "Cuts to spending mean that services are at risk of being cut back and we are encouraging more support for green spaces. I think this demonstrates the kind of joined up thinking the Greens have about policy - people being able to go out into green spaces and get exercise is essential to a healthy society. We've got a lot of focus about issues in the NHS and the pressures on services, well if we have a healthy society, that's a very useful, important and good way to reduce that pressure."

Mr McComish added: "Dudley Council is under huge pressure to cut costs but I'm hoping to persuade them to spread the money it spends on providing outdoor activities across the borough so that local kids, parents and grandparents don't have to trek across town to use facilities.

"When I knock on doors people say there is little for the kids to do so we'd like to see the council to look at smaller outdoor projects too."