A VICAR has warned that the introduction of an adult sex shop in his village could lead to the breakdown of marriages and community life.John Eldridge, vicar of All Saints' Church, Wickham Market, near Woodbridge, is highlighting the moral issues at stake while planners are poised to consider the application to set up the Adam and Eve Emporium on an industrial estate.

A VICAR has warned that the introduction of an adult sex shop in his village could lead to the breakdown of marriages and community life.

John Eldridge, vicar of All Saints' Church, Wickham Market, near Woodbridge, is highlighting the moral issues at stake while planners are poised to consider the application to set up the Adam and Eve Emporium on an industrial estate.

A 1,000 strong petition has been lodged by people in the area against the shop.

Rev Eldridge said there was nothing wrong with sex, but adult shops, pornographic films and literature made sex trivial.

Writing in his parish magazine, he said: "They totally eliminate relationship and keep sexuality to the narrow confines of the sexual act. They make sex trivial.

"The very concept of a sex shop where this type of isolated sex is for sale is therefore objectionable. Women particularly are reduced to objects for sale. This is totally demeaning to women, to their relationship with men, and to sex itself.

"Much of the sex business is a fantasy world. Staged photo sessions with the miracle of dye-transfer printing can cover a multitude of flaws. What woman can compare favourably day in day out with the perfect body, sparkling smile, and sensuous legs seen on the screen? What man can match the hunky sun-tanned body portrayed in the modern media? The answer is that no one can, not even the people who stage the phoney show. It is a deceptive, beguiling artificial dream world.

"An adult sex shop in my view will cause damage to our community – damage to our relationships, damage to our marriages and damage to our sexuality. I would therefore invite you to join with me in saying: 'Yes' to sex but 'No' to shop."

The shop organisers were unavailable for comment.