A new study published by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the Cricket Foundation has found that the UK's young people are "bad losers" in sport.

More than 1,000 parents of children aged between eight and 16-years-old were polled as part of the research, with nearly two-thirds admitting their kids reacted badly if they did not win. In a separate survey, more than three quarters (76 per cent) of children in the same age group said they saw similar reactions in team mates after losing a game.

However, parents were also found to be bad losers after the study found that 60 per cent were guilty of being bad losers themselves. The findings comes as the MCC prepares to team up with the Cricket Foundation to deliver a nationwide initiative to promote fair play in Chance to shine schools.

Around 4,000 state schools will benefit from lessons in good sportsmanship under the MCC Spirit of Cricket scheme, which will teach children how to win and lose graciously. Cricket Foundation chief executive Wasim Khan said: "Through the MCC Spirit of Cricket initiative in Chance to Shine schools we're teaching young people one of the most valuable lessons in life: how to claim victory and accept defeat magnanimously."

MCC head of cricket John Stephenson added: "MCC's partnership with the Cricket Foundation highlights the significance of healthy competition, while discouraging a win-at-all-costs mentality, and aims to ensure thousands of young people adopt the Spirit of Cricket principles of playing hard and fair."