There are fears for Christians after a crackdown on religious freedom in China

Britain must act urgently to save Christians around the world from persecution that is “unprecedented in many centuries”, the Church of England and Roman Catholic church have said.

In a rare joint statement, the churches demanded extra training for diplomats and asylum for Christian refugees.

Britain had provided only “piecemeal” support to those facing discrimination, and even “mass killings” on account of their faith, the churches warned in their submission to a Foreign Office review.

They called for mandatory “religious literacy” training for diplomats to ensure that they understood the role religion played in the oppression and violence faced by Christians in parts of the world where they were in a minority.

Officials should ensure that refugees from Christian and other minority communities in conflict