AKIPRESS.COM - As legislation allowing gay couples to marry comes into force on Saturday, the BBC Radio 5 live survey also found men were nearly twice as likely to spurn the nuptials as women.

The poll of 1,007 people found 68% agreed gay marriage should be permitted, with 26% opposing it.

A spokesman for lesbian, gay and bisexual charity Stonewall said it was important to highlight the fact that four in five people would accept an invitation to a gay wedding.

But Catholic Voices, which represents the Catholic Church, said the findings of the survey reflected the reality that people remained “deeply uncomfortable” with being honest about their true feelings on the meaning of marriage.

With same-sex weddings in England and Wales permitted for the first time from Saturday, the research suggested a substantial proportion of the population had reservations about the issue – with 42% disagreeing that gay marriages were no different from heterosexual marriages.

Some 29% of men asked said they would not attend, compared with 16% of women.

The research also found that younger people were more likely to support same-sex marriage, with 80% of 18 to 34-year-olds backing it, compared with 44% of over-65s.

Of those polled, women were more likely to support gay marriage than men, with 75% of women for it compared with 61% of men in favor.

A majority of 59% of people asked agreed a person should not be considered homophobic for opposing the legislation permitting gay marriage.