A belief in Christianity and the Easter story surpasses the reality of church attendance, according to a poll for The Times.

Sixty-three per cent say that they think of Britain as being a Christian country. A correlation between age and these perceptions is shown. Fewer than half (48 per cent) of 18 to 24 year-olds have this view, while seventy-two percent of 55 to 64 year-olds and 75 per cent of over-65s do.

Thirty-seven per cent say they will go to a church service at some point over Easter, and sixty-one per cent say that they will not. Even so, these answers rus far ahead of probable church attendance.

55 per cent of the population say that they personally believe that the Easter story that Jesus rose from the dead is true. 39 per cent among 18 to 24 year-olds take this view and 64 per cent among the over-65 age group do.

More than two thirds of the public (70 per cent) think that Muslims in Britain seem to take their faith more seriously than Christians take theirs.

The poll was conducted between April 2 and 4, interviewing 1,045 adults by telephone across the country.