ANGRY parents have slammed the decision to replace the town's tennis centre with a bowling alley amid fears that obesity amongst children is on the rise in Slough.

Pressure is mounting on leisure bosses in the borough following an online campaign to save Salt Hill Tennis Centre and members are preparing to present a petition to councillors at an overview and scrutiny meeting next week.

Tennis enthusiasts of all ages have reacted furiously to the news that the indoor courts will be ripped out to make way for a £1.5m ten pin bowling complex in Salt Hill Park with one borough health expert claiming that the move is setting a poor example as the number of overweight youngsters in the town continues to increase.

Dr Neil Coleman, GP at The Avenue Medical Centre in Britwell, has revealed that more than 11 percent of his patients are obese and he believes that a lack of participation in sport is a contributing factor.

He said: "It's a real shame that the tennis centre may close. The levels of obesity in Slough are above the regional average and there just seems to be a lack of healthy options around town. I would have thought with the Olympics on the way sport in the town would really be promoted at the moment, sadly this is not the case." Fakhra Zaman, a single mum from Slough, added: "I was distraught when I heard the news, my nine year-old daughter was getting a little chubby, like many of her school friends, so I signed her up for tennis lessons and she loves the sport. It is a safe indoor environment where people of all ages can play whatever the weather." Council chiefs have meanwhile promised to invest in the nearby outdoor courts after suggesting that the tennis centre was no longer financially viable.

Cllr Shafiq Chaudhry, Commissioner for Community & Leisure said: "Unfortunately the tennis centre has been losing over £30,000 a year, and because Slough Community Leisure re-invests any surplus funds this centre is essentially drawing investment away from other facilities in the town."