Instagram is best known for playing host to Love Island contestants, polished young "influencers" and healthy eating bloggers.

But the social network could soon be flooded with arty pictures of pews and altars as the Church of England encourages its parishes to sign up in order to woo younger worshippers.

It has launched an "introduction to Instagram" aimed at helping confused clergy who are finding it "hard to keep up with the latest digital trends and the platforms being used by young people".

The Church's digital team has spent a year training churches in how to use social media "strategically" for "evangelism and discipleship", and says it will have trained 1,000 parishes by Christmas.

Its advice is that "every church needs a Facebook page" but that the choice between Instagram and Twitter "depends on your audience, and where they are more likely to be."

In particular Instagram is "a great place to show the personality of your church, who attends and what kind of events and services you offer."