Bosses of swimming pools and leisure centres in Kent say they are at risk of closure as they battle the steep cost of energy.

This is the warning from industry leaders and local government after the decision to omit the sector from the highest levels of financial support for the most energy-intensive industries.

It is feared sports and leisure providers may be forced to curtail opening hours or even close some services entirely if Whitehall does not reconsider the classification under the Energy Bills Discount Scheme announced earlier this month.

The chief executive of Freedom Leisure, which operates a number of facilities including the Julie Rose Stadium and Stour Centre in Ashford, has said he is "extremely disappointed and frustrated" to see his sector excluded despite the inclusion of museums and libraries.

Ivan Horsfall Turner said: "Public sector leisure is one of the most exposed sectors because we are a very intensive user of utilities with energy costs a very large proportion of our overall costs, particularly in centres with swimming pools.

"We have recently seen our annual energy bill move from £8m to £20m even with the temporary cap.

"It seems incredibly hard to understand how a public library or a museum is more energy intensive than a public swimming pool.

"If this situation remains as is, there is a real risk of more not-for-profit trusts, such as ourselves, taking difficult decisions to close more facilities and services which will have a long-term, detrimental effect on the health and wellbeing of the nation as well as increasing the pressure on our already overstretched NHS."

The existing Energy Bill Relief Scheme provides a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for all non-domestic consumers and will run until March 31.

It will the be replaced by the new Energy Bills Discount Scheme, which is intended to be in place for a year.

As with the original scheme, suppliers will automatically apply reductions to the bills of all eligible non-domestic customers.

Tessa Stickler, general manager of the Folkestone Sports Centre Trust charity, says she fears for the impact on the services it is able to offer to the community.

"It certainly is a tough time for the industry, particularly those with swimming pools," she said.

"Our trust is proud to have come through a dreadful couple of years, and very grateful for the support we have had to date, however, somewhere, there needs to be a recognition of how vital leisure centres are as essential community service providers.

"The fear is that without our sector being recognised as essential, and better financially supported, some of these services may be lost."

Cllr David Renard, energy spokesman for the Local Government Association, said: "Libraries and museums will be eligible for extra support, as energy-intensive industries, but leisure centres and swimming pools will not be equally protected from high energy prices.

"These valuable public facilities are at risk of reduced hours or even closure due to unsustainable and increasing costs.

"If the government is serious about reducing pressure on the NHS, as well as meeting its other targets on physical activity and sports participation, it must continue to support our leisure centres and public swimming pools which help people stay active, healthy and out of hospital."