Religious organisations across the country will be investigated for the first time, as the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) announced it was widenening its scope.

Faiths including Buddhism, Jehovah's Witnesses and Baptists and religious settings such as mosques and synagogues will all fall within the scope of the newly announced probe.

This marks the 14th strand in the investigation into child protection in religious organisations and settings.

The IICSA was set up in 2015 to investigate institutions which failed to protect children from sexual abuse. Prior to the announcement yesterday the investigation has only dealt with Christian cases when probing religion.

The new investigation will be separate from the investigations into the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches and will review the current child protection policies, practices and procedures in religious institutions in England and Wales.