Cameron shows off football skills

Mr Cameron was supporting a project to tackle youth crime through sport

Conservative leader David Cameron showed off his football skills during an impromptu kick-about at a sports project in south London.

Mr Cameron was visiting the London Active Communities Urban Stars scheme in Kennington.

He was joined by celebrity athletes including ex-world number one tennis player Boris Becker and Olympic gold medalist Daley Thompson.

Later, sports stars delivered a report on tackling violence to Downing Street.

Mr Cameron said he was "delighted" to take part in a project and said it was important to give young people a positive outlet for their energies.

He added: "Sport - especially team sport - offers exactly that, so we have to do whatever we can to make sure sport is more accessible to them."

Gordon Brown showed what he could do with a football in 2005

The display of football prowess was a first for Mr Cameron - better known as a keen cyclist and tennis player.

However, he was not the first front-line politician to show off his soccer technique to the cameras.

As chancellor in 2005, Raith Rovers supporter Gordon Brown was pictured with a ball at his feet while declaring he would back any Football Association bid to stage the 2018 World Cup.

The soon-to-be prime minister Tony Blair also took part in a memorable ball-heading session in 1995 with the then Newcastle - and future England - manager Kevin Keegan.

Moscow Olympics decathlon champion Daley Thompson - who had completed a seven-day cycle ride from Manchester - led a delegation including Mr Becker, golfer Gary Player and Argentine rugby player Hugo Porta to No 10.

They handed over the Breaking the Cycle of Violence report, commissioned by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which calls for investment in sport to tackle youth crime, anti-social behaviour and gang violence.

Tony Blair's ball-heading session with Kevin Keegan proved memorable

The report was received by Richard Taylor, the father of murdered teenager Damilola Taylor who is also the prime minister's special envoy on knife crime.

Daley Thompson said the Conservative leader was able to see for himself how sport can make a positive impact.

He added: "Our report shows how sports initiatives can be designed to meet the challenge of urban youth violence and I was delighted that I had the chance to explain this to him."