A survey published by supermarket chain Somerfield has shown that many youngsters in the UK do not know what Easter signifies.

Somerfield's survey, which was conducted as part of a marketing campaign, found that one-in-six 16 to 24-year-olds know nothing about Good Friday, the commemoration of Jesus' crucifixion.

Meanwhile, 10 per cent are in the dark about Easter Sunday, which marks Jesus' resurrection.

1,130 adults were quizzed by Somerfield for the survey, which found that youngsters are ignorant when it comes to the Easter bunny - a Pagan fertility symbol - with 31 per cent having no idea why the character exists at all.

But, despite large numbers of people being unaware of the Easter basics, more than a fifth said they are planning to go to church to mark the holiday.

Mike Judge, spokesman for The Christian Institute, said that Easter ignorance was down to education.

He said: "I think that the way RE is taught today in schools is a factor.

"Children are taught in a very thematic way rather than being educated about the different ways in which the world's religions celebrate different holidays like Easter.

"We're doing our children a great disservice in not teaching them the basic beliefs of Christianity.

"Previous generations of parents would have been brought up going to summer school and learning in detail about Easter. But there is definitely a generation of parents now who don't know themselves what Easter is about."