Church congregations in America are being urged to boycott Bermuda if gay sex is made legal.

Hundreds of churches across the US have been alerted to the Hon. John Stubbs' attempt to change the law in Parliament.

Campaigners are warning the Island could damage its "family vacation'' image.

Dr. Stubbs' proposal to legalise gay sex could be debated by MPs as early as May 13.

But a group of US churches is firmly against the move. Mr. Rob Sowell, pastor of Christian Growth Center Inc. in Christiansburg, Virginia, is leading the campaign.

He said he heard about the Stubbs proposal from his friend Mr. Jack Steinhoff, pastor of Paget Christian Assembly. Mr. Sowell has sent details of the Stubbs bill to the 300 members of the International Convention of Faith Ministries in the US.

He is east coast director of the ICFM, a grouping of mainly evangelical churches. Mr. Sowell said: "We have visited Bermuda several times -- it's probably our favourite place to go on vacation.

"I have nothing against the person who is a homosexual or a lesbian, because of the love of God we have in our hearts. But I will not condone the sin of homosexuality.'' He said he had seen areas in the US like Key West become "consumed with the homosexual community'', to the point where people did not want to go there on holiday.

Once the "perversion'' was allowed it eventually became obvious, he said.

"There is no need to hide it, it becomes very open, and our children and our families are exposed to it.'' Bermuda's attraction as a "pristine environment'' was at risk.

"After a while the perversion will invade the Island. Any time it becomes law that it's OK, it starts small and it will continue to grow. After a while it will definitely come out of the closet.'' Mr. Sowell wrote to The Royal Gazette saying that if the Stubbs bill was passed, he would "no longer consider Bermuda a place fitting for a family vacation.

"I pastor a congregation of 400 people who are also concerned,'' he warned.

"Thank you for keeping Bermuda a place suitable for families.'' The Rev. T.R. King, pastor of Valley Christian Center, Virginia, wrote an almost identical letter stating he had a congregation of 200.

Called by a reporter, he said he was concerned "because of the openness of the homosexuality that is going to be permitted''.

He refused to comment further.

The bill proposed by Dr. Stubbs would remove sections 177 and 179 from the Island's criminal code, which lists offences and their punishments.

Section 177 makes "buggery'' an offence punishable by a maximum 10 years in jail. Men or women taking part in such an act can be guilty.

Attempted buggery is also illegal under section 177, with a maximum penalty of five years.

Section 179 makes "gross indecency'' between men illegal, whether public or private.

Procuring someone to commit such an offence, or attempting to procure someone, is also illegal. The maximum punishment for these offences is two years.

MPs are expected to vote freely on the issue, according to "conscience'', not party discipline.