A person has accidentally voted for a Tory candidate who opposed same-sex marriage – by drawing a penis on his ballot paper.

Glyn Davies, who was this week re-elected as the Conservative MP for Montgomeryshire, revealed a decision had to be taken at his count on Thursday night, when one ballot paper was found to have a phallus neatly doodled next to his name.

Despite it not being clear whether the penis was a sign of approval or disapproval, the politician revealed on Facebook that the vote was found to be valid.

He said: “One voter decided to draw a detailed representation of a penis instead of a cross in my box on one ballot paper.

“Amazingly, because it was neatly drawn within the confines of the box the returning officer deemed it a valid vote.

“Not sure the artist meant it to count, but I am grateful. If I knew who it was, I would like to thank him (or her) personally.”

It did not make much of a difference in the seat, as Mr Davies – who voted against same-sex marriage – held a 15-point lead over his closest rival.

He received 15,204 votes, well above Lib Dem Jane Dodds on 9,879.

Mr Davies previously said same-sex marriage was a “bad proposal”, adding: “I was and remain implacably opposed to changing the meaning of the word, ‘Marriage’.”

“I thought it was a seriously bad proposal.”

The voter was presumably taking a lead from Tory MP James Duddridge – who accidentally printed leaflets declaring it “erection day”.