The London Olympics should resist trying to match the Beijing games and continue to focus on leaving the country with a community sporting legacy, according to shadow sports minister and Kent MP Hugh Robertson.

The Faversham and Mid Kent MP - who has just returned from a four-day fact-finding visit to Beijing - said London organisers should avoid the temptation to compete with the Chinese and concentrate on staging a different kind of games.

He also said transport and security key would be key priorities for London, as they held the key to a smooth-running Olympics.

"We must not try to compete with Beijing in any way, shape or form," he said. "They have these spectacular stadia but we are not in the same ball park.

"We want swimming pools that can be turned into community assets. We can do this a different way."

He added: "We do not need to build arenas that are iconic but ones that are not ridiculously expensive and can be used again. Where we have an advantage over Beijing is in the feel and sense of fun we can generate around the Olympics.

"We must do everything we can to ensure the London games are a genuine celebrations across the nation."

The budget for the London games has been set at just over £9billion, a figure dwarfed by the £82billion that has been spent on staging the Beijing Olympics.