More than 50 MPs have joined The Northern Echo’s fight to stop an Act of Parliament jeopardising the Olympic futures of the region’s young sporting talent.

A legal dispute over The Northern Echo’s “Olympic Dream” campaign – aimed at raising funds to support talented youngsters – reached the House of Commons this week.

The Northern Echo’s campaign was to run for the next six years and raise funds for talented youngsters through the charity Sports Aid.

It would identify talented youngsters in the region and promote their achievements to raise money and encourage sponsorship.

It was supported by the Newspaper Society, and other local newspapers were being encouraged to participate in the scheme.

However, when the 2012 organising committee was approached for its support, its lawyers contacted The Northern Echo and warned the paper faced prosecution under the Olympic Bill if it used the word “Olympic” or any associated symbols.

North-East MP Kevan Jones challenged Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell over the legal block placed on the campaign by lawyers acting on behalf of the Olympic organisers.

They have warned that the paper cannot launch a fundraising campaign in association with the Olympics.

Labour MP Kevan tabled a Parliamentary Motion – signed by MPs from different parties – calling for community organisations to be allowed use the word “Olympic”.

But the minister said: “The legislation precludes any kind of commercial association with the Olympics where that association is not actually borne out by financial sponsorship.

“That is a protection taken by the International Olympic Committee in order to meet some of the concerns that the honourable gentlemen raised in his first question [an earlier question about the cost of 2012].

“That said, however, I am absolutely determined to ensure that young people from right around the country benefit from this unique opportunity to take part in sport glorified by the Olympics.”

He added: “An important part of the Olympics is ensuring that funding is directed to the next generation of sports stars.

The motion congratulates The Northern Echo on its campaign to provide “much-needed money for school sports”.

It then “calls on the Government to intervene to allow community-based projects such as this to use the word ‘Olympics'”.