HIKES in leisure charges in Medway, including a 400 per cent increase in the cost of hiring football pitches, will stop children getting exercise and put them at risk, it is being claimed.

Colin Boswell, secretary of Medway Today Sunday Football League, is furious at the 11 per cent increase on adult pitches. Cabinet members agreed to an average five per cent increase in fees and charges at a meeting earlier this month. But some of the rises are higher.

Hiring a football pitch without a pavilion for 18 games used to cost £10.50 - now it will cost £50. Gaining a Cycling Proficiency Certificate used to be free, now it will cost £10.

A school visit to Medway's country parks used to cost nothing, now it will cost £1.50.

Labour's Cllr Glyn Griffiths said: "These are soft targets. People always try not to let their children down and always do their best to let them go on a school visit, play football and encourage their children to be safe on the road.

"But these are the targets for the increases. Cycling Proficiency has an effect on children's road safety, which is one of the council's Public Service Agreement standards.

"We also need to get children into the countryside and encourage them to understand their environment, putting a charge like this on park visits means that for many schools visits will be a luxury."