France's top presidential candidates have clashed over the burkini in a feisty TV debate.

Far-right leader and favourite to win the first round of voting Marine Le Pen accused her centrist rival Emmanuel Macron of supporting the full-body swimsuit – a controversial issue in the highly secularist nation.

But Macron, who is favourite to win overall after the second round of voting, retorted that Le Pen was 'twisting the truth' in the most heated exchange of the night.

The debate was the first between the five presidential candidates with issues of high unemployment, slow economic growth, terror threats and rows about immigration, integration and terrorism dominating.

Several French towns banned the burkini in the summer prompting a row over France's secular values and tolerance towards Muslims. A high court later blocked the ban saying it breached fundamental religious freedoms.

Macron reacted furiously when Le Pen accused him of backing the burkini, suggesting he wasn't really committed to France's secular approach.

'I don't need a ventriloquist,' he retorted. 'When I have something to say, I say it clearly.'

The independent added: 'You are lying (to voters) by twisting the truth.'

Le Pen vowed to 'put an end to immigration' as she looks to ban all religious symbols, including Muslim headscarves and Jewish kippahs from public.

But Macron attacked Le Pen for using Islam to divide France. 'The trap you are falling into, Madame Le Pen, with your provocations is to divide society,' he said.

The election is set to be one of the most uncertain in decades with Macron, an independent who has never run for office, and Le Pen, a far-right Nationalist, dominating the race.

Opinion polls show the pair holding a strong lead ahead of the more experienced centre-right contender Francois Fillon, and left-wingers Benoit Hamon and Jean-Luc Melenchon.

Le Pen is predicted to win the first round of voting but after that only the top two candidates progress with polls favouring Macron in a head-to-head.