PRIMARY school pupils in the Basingstoke area are receiving far less physical education than the rest of the country, according to the borough's specialist sports school.

Brighton Hill Community College has discovered that only 27 per cent of local pupils are receiving two hours of quality PE time every week. The national average is 62 per cent.

The findings show that local primary schools are likely to fall well short of a Government target of 75 per cent of pupils being given two hours of quality physical education and school sport by 2005.

"The figure of 27 per cent is embarrassing," said Mark Nevola, Brighton Hill's assistant head and director of PE and sports.

He added: "I have worked in other areas, so I knew the standard of the provision in Basingstoke was low. However, for it to be that low came as a surprise.

"The Government target for 2005 is 75 per cent because with a national average of 62 per cent, it's achievable. However, it's not for us. it's going to be very tough to get to 75 per cent by next year."

Mr Nevola said the low level of exercise has wide-ranging implications, including health and anti-social behaviour.

He believes the Government's numeracy and literacy drive, and the after-effects of the teachers' strikes of the mid '80s - which resulted in closure of after-school clubs - have contributed to the low figure.

However, Mr Nevola is confident pupils' participation in PE and school sport will increase dramatically over the next few years.

The college - which gained its specialist status in 2002 - is currently in the first year of its School Sport Co-ordinator (SSCo) programme, which is designed to enable schools across the borough to work together in small clusters to increase participation and provision of sport.

The programme required Brighton Hill to carry out its audit of PE and sport provision in the area. Development manager Ali Turvey said the results will begin to be seen over the next few months.

She said: "Already this year, schools have been holding their own sports festivals, which they haven't done before."