A former porn addict and a church leader are touring the country to promote their new book which aims to help Christian men ‘break free’ from pornography.

Nathan Ferreira, in his early 20s, describes how he overcame a porn addiction, which brought him close to suicide, in a book co-written with Leatherhead church leader Gerald Coates, 68.

The co-authors attended the International Christian Resources Exhibition, in Esher, last week before going to Portsmouth for talks including a service called Porn Sunday.

Mr Coates, team leader at Pioneer Engage Church in Leatherhead, said they had helped men to give up porn through their book called Sexual Healing - Identity, Sexuality, Calling.

He said: "It was like they just came out of the woodwork. We are already talking about scores of people. There are no other books of a Christian type about sexual behaviour, particularly porn."

Mr Coates said a few years ago he met Mr Ferreira, then 19, via social networking site Facebook. He said Mr Ferreira was a generous and giving churchgoer who girls were mad about.

Over time they spoke on the phone and in person and one day Mr Ferreira asked if he could tell him a story which might shock him.

He said: "Nathan was two people. He had lived with that addiction for four years and has become completely set free."

The book gives advice from a Christian perspective exploring the love of God, sexuality and the growing phenomenon of pornography in today’s ‘sex-soaked culture’.

Of the book tour, Mr Coates said: "Though obviously porn is the magnet, a lot of the time we talk about identity and calling."

He said they encouraged men to replace ‘damaging’ habits with ‘healthy’ habits and turn their bedrooms into a spiritual space by turning off iPhones and laptops.

Mr Coates said one man had posted up scripture in his bedroom and another man had placed a crucifix in his shower, adding: "Guys are taking practical steps to link faith to behaviour."

He said: "It’s everything from hardcore pornography through to even looking at friends on Facebook."

Mr Coates, who has been married for 46 years, was a deputy head boy in Cobham and attended Epsom and Ewell Art School which went on to become the University of the Creative Arts.

He went on to start the Cobham Christian Fellowship, which grew into the evangelical Pioneer Network.

Mr Ferreira was born in Trinidad and moved to Bradford as a child, but now lives close to Mr Coates in Great Bookham.

Mr Coates said they were unusual in openly addressing pornography without embarrassment. He said: "As time went on I realised this is absolutely everywhere. This is a deep-seated issue. It’s been a bit of a shock."

A 2006 study showed that a quarter of all searches on the internet, about 68m requests, were for pornographic material.

It was found there were 4.2 million pornographic websites and the average age of first internet porn exposure was 11.

For more information on the book visit sexualhealingbook.com.

Advice on how to combat porn addiction in Sexual Healing:

1. You need to want to change your behaviour and address denial and deception.

2. Discover who you are and your identity, which includes reconciling secret and public lives.

3. Explore your calling in life and what contribution can you bring.