YOUNG people are being badly let down because of inadequate provision of sporting facilities, says a Kent MP.

North Thanet's Roger Gale said: "At a time when obesity is becoming a serious national problem only a pitiful percentage of the population is participating in active sport."

Mr Gale, speaking following the publication of the results of a Sport England survey, stressed: "We are trumpeting the 'benefits' of the 2012 Olympics but I can see only minimal investment in sub-standard sports facilities for the majority of our young athletes."

Recently, he said, Thanet Swim Club had hosted a gala for hundreds of young swimmers from across Kent and as far field as Guernsey.

"These young athletes have to travel for hours to train in a 50 metre Olympic standard pool and local facilities are more designed for recreation than training and competition.

"Our sports halls, compared with those across the channel, are simply not good enough and there appears to be no sense of vision or commitment on the part of Government."

"The issue of sport was significantly absent from the Chancellor's pre-budget report...and it should come as no surprise that the level of participation is low if the incentive is not there."

The Tory MP added: "Seb Coe made a Herculean effort to secure the games for the UK but that effort will have been wasted if we are not prepared to inject real financial resources not just into the games site but in good indoor, outdoor and pool facilities nationwide."