A Christian campaigner has defended parents protesting at the school gates over controversial LGBT lessons.

Susan Mason, a Christian and mother of one, is behind the new campaign website called Schoolgatecampaign.com.

She and other volunteers have been handing out leaflets at schools in the home counties outlining their concerns over the lessons, which have been the source of protests in Birmingham.

She said that the teaching of LGBT issues should be left to families.

She told The Times: "There is a small, very vocal minority being listened to by the government — and everyone else is being ignored. I think that LGBT teaching should be discussed in the home . . . this role is being taken away by the state."

Her comments came in response to a letter from 80 MPs published in the Sunday Times calling on the Government to take action to end the school protests.

"The protests outside schools need to end, and the best way to achieve that is for the government to be absolutely clear on what will be taught," the letter said.

"At the moment it is far from clear for many parents. The government and the Department for Education have been slow to respond to the misinformation being promulgated among many of our communities by those seeking to undermine relationships education in primary schools.

"If unchecked, the problem will grow, damaging our schools and communities and weakening the recent advancement of equal rights in our country."

The 'No Outsiders' programme triggered protests by Muslim and some Christian parents outside Parkfield Community School in Birmingham. 

Hundreds of school children were withdrawn by their parents from the lessons, which are designed to teach about the Equality Act.

The programme was temporarily suspended at Easter but, following a consultation with parents, is to be reintroduced in September in a modified format that takes faith into consideration.

However, last Friday 350 children were withdrawn from the school again over the continued use of picture books to teach young children that same-sex relationships are normal.

Elsewhere in Birmingham, protests were held outside Anderton Park Primary in Birmingham before the High Court imposed a ban in the immediate vicinity of the school. 

Rob Kelsall, from the National Association of Head Teachers, told The Times that the union has been contacted by at least 70 schools across England in relation to parents trying to stop the lessons.

Relationships and sex education classes that incorporate teaching on LGBT relationships are to become mandatory in schools across England from 2020. 

The Christian Institute, Christian Concern, and the Coalition for Marriage have all strongly criticised the move.