Dr Rosena Allin-Khan MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Sport, commenting on reports that the NSPCC’s football sex abuse hotline has been inundated with calls in its first week, said:

“The sheer number of calls the NSPCC has received is truly shocking and my thoughts are with the victims, their courage and bravery has brought this issue to light.

“With fifteen police forces across the country looking into the claims, the Government must now ensure police are given the resources needed to carry out urgent and thorough investigations.

“We now know a vast majority of these historic claims went unreported. I will be writing to Karen Bradley, Amber Rudd and Justine Greening to seek assurances that the Government will include Sports and Leisure organisations and roles, when it introduces new proposals on the mandatory duty to report child abuse”