Young people in Britain have turned against religion, with many considering it a source of evil, a new poll suggests.

A YouGov poll for the Sun found intense hostility towards religion among 18-24 year olds and very low levels of belief in God.

Forty-one per cent of young people told pollsters 'religion is more often the cause of evil in the world' while only 14% said it was a cause for good.

Asked which figures had influence in their lives, religious leaders came bottom, with only 12% saying they were influenced by them.

That was a lower figure even than for politicians, who scored 38%, brands, which scored 32% or celebrities, who scored 21%.

Twenty-five per cent of young people said they believed in God, 19% believed in a non-Godlike 'spiritual greater power' and 38% were atheists who didn't believe in any greater spiritual power.

Among believers, 13% were Church of England, nine per cent were Roman Catholic and four per cent were Muslim.