P ushy parents are ruining school sports days. As we reach the end of the summer term and a rash of school sports days, it will probably come as no surprise that the atmosphere to these once sedate and fun afternoons is changing.

Apparently winning is everything, even if it means foul play, aggressive behaviour and possible foul play.

Not so long ago, Country Life magazine surveyed a number of schools and discovered that a number had put a halt to the mothers' and fathers' races because some of the parents had become "over zealous".

The survey suggested: "Not a single school considered its parents happy to just sit back, relax and enjoy the day.

"At one school, the parents' race was stopped four years ago because it was too competitive and there was a real risk of injury."

And that's the point. Parents are becoming so keen to use the school sports day as their showcase to show off their athletic prowess, that they are training for the 60-metre dash and many, according to one newspaper, are turning up at doctor's surgeries with all sorts of muscular injuries.

It has been described as Princess Diana syndrome. Who can forget those photographs of the bare-footed princess with skirt flapping racing other parents at Ludgrove School sports day where princes William and Harry were pupils?

Parents races used to be the "and finally" portion of the afternoon's activities after the egg and spoon and sack races. A time when the mums and dads could embarrass themselves in front of their children with their middle aged spreads.

Nowadays, the sports have been competitive and fierce with the parents embarrassing their children with their highly competitive attitude almost neurotic that winning is everything.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the tide has been turned of this namby-pamby attitude to competitive sport.

Do you remember the days when schools put the brake on competition, and when school sports days were diluted to team events?

However, come the day when one dad turns up to sports day and the school's 60m sprint with starting blocks, then you know it really has gone too far!

My youngest son, Ross, took part in his school sports day at the Mountbatten Centre the other week. He really is into his running, and he is only eight. So it was no surprise that when it came to the sprint race that, Ross was out of the traps like a greyhound and hared down the finishing straight like Linford Christie.

Ross is such a cute, little chap that everyone was cheering him on for he was well ahead of the rest of the children. And then, with the finishing line just metres away and the gold medal virtually his, Ross decided he had had enough, and just sat down on the track to admire the crowd who were encouraging him to get up and finish.

It was like Devon Loch, the Queen Mother's horse which inexplicably collapsed yards from the line during the 1956 Grand National.

Ross didn't collapse. He just sat down and would not be moved. But did it really matter, and he wasn't bothered.

Then just to complete the King tale of woe at sports days this summer, my ten-year-old son Leo took part in his school sports day this week.

Leo, who by the way, researched and wrote this week's News Blotter (it cost me a fiver, though), finished last in the sprint and second last in the obstacle race. But there were no tantrums or tears, just a philosophical attitude which belies his tender years.

"Oh, don't worry dad, it was only a race and don't forget someone has to come last!" he said.

That's my boy!!