An Essex insurance company has cancelled what may have been the most bizarre insurance policy in Britain. In the policy, three sisters in the Scottish highlands, who apparently were members of a "Christian group" of some sort, had insured their virginity for £1 million, against the event of any of them immaculately conceiving the second coming of Jesus Christ. Essex-based Britishinsurance.com confirmed it had provided the policy.

The burden of proof that it was Christ had rested with the women and any premium on the insurance was donated to charity, said Mr Burgess. The siblings had paid £100 annually since 2000. If they had secured a payout, they stood to receive £1m. The policy was apparently cancelled partly because of complaints from the Catholic Church, which doesn't look kindly on unauthorized immaculate conceptions.