Viagra is now available over the counter including at a pharmacy less than two miles from the labs where it was discovered.

Boots in Market Street, Sandwich, has dedicated its window display to the wonderdrug which was invented about 3km down the road by Pfizer scientists Peter Dunn and Albert Wood in 1997.

The unmissable blue sign highlights that a prescription is no longer needed for the impotence pill - a move which is hoped to encourage more men to proactively manage their health.

Following a public consultation in 2017, The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced it would make Viagra Connect tablets available over the counter.

Viagra Connect - a new brand name to differentiate between other Viagra pills since Pfizer's patent expired in 2013 - is the first pharmacy medicine for erectile dysfunction to be made available without prescription.

Medical manager at Pfizer, Kristie Sourial, said: "It’s important to remember that erectile dysfunction is a medical condition, and that the impact often goes beyond the physical symptoms.

"It can lead to men feeling anxious, depressed and lacking in confidence. Our hope is that the availability of Viagra Connect in pharmacies will encourage men who do nothing about their ED to seek help, and encourage those who are inclined to seek help to do so sooner.”

It is estimated that erectile problems affect up to 21% of men – equivalent to 4.3 million men in the UK.

Despite this, a new study shows that 44% of men with erectile dysfunction aged 40 and over have not sought medical help.

The pills are also available to men online subject to them answering a series of straightforward questions to help determine if the product is suitable for them.

Their answers will be checked over by a pharmacist before they receive the product. In-store, men can ask to speak to a pharmacist in a private consultation room if preferred.