IT IS genuinely pleasing today to be able to report that six parks in the Bradford district have retained their prestigious Green Flag awards, a mark of the best parks and green spaces in the country.

It is no surprise, though, that one of them, Lister Park in Manningham - once officially dubbed the best park in Britain - has been given a Green Flag for the 13th successive year.

For a city with such a large urban sprawl, it is a matter of some pride for Bradford's residents that it still has such a good deal of Council-managed park land within its borders. That fact, as well as the knowledge that the Bradford metropolitan council district is two-thirds rural, is often greatly under-played when the area is promoted outside of West Yorkshire.

The volume of green space along with the quality of our parks should play a big part in Bradford's marketing message - if only to help counteract the city's "dark, satanic mills" image among those who have never ventured north of Watford.

But there is a great deal more importance that should be attached to our acres of greenery.

Parks and other green spaces are vital to the make up of any area. Often described as "green lungs", they provide relief from the endless march of brick and stone, both physically and mentally. They literally help urban areas to breathe while lifting the spirits of those for whom the countryside is outside their daily reach.

Which means that parks - no matter how well-kept and well-protected they are - should not be forced to carry the burden on their own while other green spaces face a constant threat from over-development.