A Sikh couple claim they were told they could not adopt a white child because of their ethnic background.

Sandeep and Reena Mander, who are British-born and live in Berkshire, allege that they were rejected by their local adoption agency, Adopt Berkshire, as only white children were available.

Mr and Mrs Mander, who are in their 30s and have been unable to have a child of their own, say they were willing to give a home to a child of any race. The couple are legally challenging the decision, with the backing of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Mr Mander, who is vice-president of sales for a technology company, told The Times that he and his wife had been barred from even applying for adoption “not because of our incapability to adopt, but because our cultural heritage was defined as ‘Indian/Pakistani’.”

Adoption agencies can prioritise parents from the same ethnic group, but in 2014 adoption rules were changed to make it easier for children to be placed with parents from a different ethnic background.

It followed concerns that previous guidance for local authorities had prevented children being placed with suitable families of a different ethnicity.

The number of children being adopted is falling. Last year 4,690 adoptions took place in England, down from 5,360 in 2015.