PARENTS face being banned from taking photographs of their children winning sports trophies - for fear that pictures could end up in the hands of paedophiles.

New guidelines sent from an industry watchdog to every leisure centre in Worcestershire mean cameras and mobile phones may be outlawed from sports centres.

And, if any inappropriate pictures appear on the internet, leisure centre coaches and staff could face prosecution.

The stringent new rules - sent to local authority-run leisure centres across Worcestershire by the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management as part of a national campaign - urge a ban on cameras where partly-clothed children may be photographed.

The paper cites swimming, gymnastics and athletics as "having the greatest potential for misuse".

Fears have increased since the widespread availability of mobile phones which double up as cameras, and enable people to take photographs discreetly.

It comes a year after the Evening News reported a similar clampdown that means parents have to ask permission before filming their own children playing football.

"A total ban on photographs would be an infringement on my rights as a parent," said Samantha Cutler, a St Peter's mother-of-two.

"Sporting pictures will be stepping stones through the lives of my little boys and I want to be able to look back at them.

"It should come down to parental choice. The ones I've spoken to have never had a problem with it."

Alan New, general manager of Nunnery Wood Sports Complex, in Worcester, said it was a reflection of today's society.

"Mobile phones are the big issue and perhaps there should be more safeguards put in place where the phones themselves are bought.

"Having said that, there needs to be a degree of common sense. I don't think it's over the top to ask people not to use their phones or cameras for a hour or so while they're watching their children play sport."

Worcester City Council said the ISRM's suggestions were being seriously considered.

"We've received the guidelines and are deciding our policy at the moment," said Nigel Mansfield, the council's sports and recreation manager.

"We can implement a total ban on cameras and mobile phones in our facilities, or we can insist that anyone planning to take a photograph should register. But we have to find a workable, safe and sensible solution."

Under the guidelines, clubs are also warned against using pictures of children on websites or in promotional literature. The ISRM suggests mannequins or drawings instead.

Ralph Riley, ISRM chief executive, said they were alerted to the problem when someone had used a mobile phone to take covert pictures at a leading national fitness company.

"We recommend that mobiles and cameras be banned in changing rooms and strictly controlled around the rest of the centre," he said.

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