A BOLTON campaigner who is championing family values has launched a stinging attack on gay people.

Tom Jones claims homosexuals are "challenging the bedrock of society" by contravening the teachings of the Bible.

His controversial comments come as he strives to create a special Trust group aimed at bringing family life to the fore.

And father-of-three Mr Jones, a committed Christian, says he wants to help young people who may not be sure of their sexuality, as part of his mission.

He said: "I believe that homosexuality is undermining family life.

"It's not a question of the degree of sin. It's simply the fact that God does not even recognise a gay lifestyle." Mr Jones, 40, a social worker for Chorley Borough Council, who lives in Shelbourne Avenue, Smithills, wants to create a group - provisionally named the Snowball Trust - to promote family life.

He added: "I want to open special groups and centres, not just here but throughout the country, where young people who may not be sure of their sexuality could go for help.

"I can't stop people doing what they want to do but I want to make people face certain issues. I'm not going around with a Bible in my hand, bashing people on the head.

"I'm sure that what I'm saying will offend some people but it's important that people face the facts as I see them." His controversial comments come just days after he claimed Bolton could soon become the 'Amsterdam of the North-west' if council bye-laws, used to ban strip shows, were flouted.

But Alan Horsfall, a veteran gay campaigner in the town who supported the Bolton Seven - a group of men convicted of gross indecency in a gay sex video - blasted Mr Jones's claims. Mr Horsfall said: "This is the stance of someone who takes the Bible as some sort of immovable object which is not open to re-interpretation. I support the concept of registered partnerships for lesbians and gays which would support the ethos of family life.

"If homosexuality is undermining family life it is only because gay people are prevented by law from registered partnerships."

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