EAST Lancashire MP Gordon Prentice has called on the government to ban an exhibition of dead human bodies covered in plastic.

He has put down a Commons motion urging that the proposed London show be stopped.

The Pendle Labour backbencher's motion "notes that an exhibition of plasticised cadavers grotesquely masquerading as art, is reportedly scheduled to open at the Atlantis Gallery, Brick lane, London, on March 23."

The motion, backed by seven other MPs, goes on to say: "We consider as bogus the claims of the artist, Professor Gunther von Hagens, that the exhibition is 'democratising anatomy.'

"We are concerned about the possible effects of the mental and physical health of those confronted by ghoulish exhibits. We believe the exhibition to be an affront to human dignity and call on the government to outlaw this disturbing practice of displaying pictures."

The early day motion appears on the House of Commons order paper -- Westminster's daily agenda distributed to all ministers, MPs and senior civil servants -- and is aimed at persuading the government to act.