Sussex Conservatives helped to swing a vote in favour of teaching teenage girls the benefits of sexual abstinence.

Controversial Tory Nadine Dorries, who was branded a marriage-wrecker earlier this year for having an affair with her friend s husband, is attempting to bring in laws that mean schoolgirls are told how to say no.

Her Bill was backed by Hove MP Mike Weatherley and Crawley s Henry Smith as it squeezed through the first stage by just six votes.

Ms Dorries appealed to MPs by telling them society was saturated in sex and blamed high teenage pregnancy rates on sex on TV, porn in newsagents and High Street stores selling inappropriate clothes to children.

The Ten Minute Rule Bill called for schools to give girls aged 13 to 16 extra sex education, including lessons on abstinence.

Mr Weatherley, a father of two boys and an 18-year-old daughter, said: "My first inclination was to vote no because I don't like to see more regulation being introduced in schools.

"But I thought this was an area that was worthy of more debate.

"It doesn't mean I will vote for it when it gets to its final stage but I want to hear more from parents and professionals. I have general sympathy with it.

"There are some parents that don't educate their children and it is necessary for schools to step in.

"I think there would be an amendment that it was extended to boys as well. There are a lot of emotions running round at that age."

Labour's Chris Bryant branded Ms Dorries' Bill the "daftest piece of legislation I have seen".

The Bill will receive its second reading in January but it will need government support to stand a chance of becoming law.