The Christian Institute, CARE and the Christian Medical Fellowship have criticised the Government's U-turn on age verification checks for online adult content. 

In a letter to The Times, the organisations said they were "extremely disappointed" by the decision and urged ministers to reconsider, saying that the measures were "long overdue". 

The Government had committed to the introduction of age verification checks in the Digital Economy Act 2017, but after repeated delays announced, it last week that it was abandoning the plans altogether.

In their letter, the Christian groups cited research released last month by the British Board of Film Classification showing that children as young as seven had viewed adult content online. 

The study found that half (51 per cent) of 11- to 13-year-olds had seen p**n, rising to two thirds of 14- to 15 year-olds.

Some of the young participants in the survey said that they had experienced feelings of "trauma" as a result of viewing violent or aggressive forms of adult content.

"The research mirrored a Middlesex University report for the NSPCC in 2016. It found that viewing p**n gave children an entirely unrealistic image of sex," the letter reads.

"This is why we are extremely disappointed that the government has ditched its age-verification plan. Its justification ... seems to be that enterprising teenagers might find ways around the restrictions.

"But in April, Margot James, the former digital minister responsible for the proposed scheme, concluded that it would nevertheless stop many children from viewing graphic images and films, including extreme hardcore and violent material portraying rape and other acts that abuse and degrade women. A view we share.

"We hope the government will reconsider this long overdue measure."