MILLIONS of pounds is needed to bring the region's sports halls up to scratch and prevent "a ticking time bomb" going off, it was claimed last night.

Charity bosses revealed how they are drawing up a Domesday Book of facilities to present to the Government in a bid to win money to repair and replace the ageing centres.

About £600m is needed nationwide to refurbish the run-down leisure centres, while the bill for the North-East and North Yorkshire should be known when a review is completed next month.

Sport England, which distributes National Lottery money to leisure causes, is lobbying the Government to help solve the cash crisis.

A decline in Lottery takings has hit the charity, and it estimates it is now receiving £155m a year less than it was a decade ago - down from £270m to £115m.

There are also fears the financial problems could hamper efforts to encourage people to enjoy a healthier lifestyle with campaigns such as The Northern Echo's A Chance to Live.

Sport England regional officer Judith Rasmussen said: "We have been overly-reliant on Lottery funding over the last ten years.

"Now the Lottery take has declined we should not be relying on its funding. This needs to be addressed by the Government.

"We have to consider what kind of facilities we need and where they should be.

"The Government has asked us to do a kind of Domesday Book of facilities - a complete list of everything we have - which will be finished by June."

Councils across the region have been forced to reduce spending on leisure as budget cuts bite and money has to be spent on what are regarded as more important areas.

But the withdrawal of the funding and the subsequent closure of some facilities means initiatives to encourage healthier lifestyles are more difficult to achieve.

Next month, Sport England launches the Everyday Sport campaign to increase participation in physical activity in the North-East. The region has the lowest rates in the country.

The six-month project, which will be rolled out nationwide, has the ultimate goal of having 70 per cent of the population doing five 30-minute sessions of exercise a week by 2020.

High levels of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and mental health problems, add up to shorter life expectancy in the region and a "ticking time bomb" according to health experts.

A study last night showed that soaring levels of childhood obesity in the US are causing youngsters' blood pressures to rise, threatening their future health.