Leaders of the Yazidis have asked the Church of England to help their religion be officially recognised.

Senior religious Yazidi leaders met Church of England officials to enlist their help in getting formal recognition for their faith. 

Currently, the Yazidi faith is not regonised because it is passed on by oral tradition only, which limits the help they can enlist as a persecuted group..

If they can be recognised, then they can get more help, according to ITV News.

There are believed to be about one million Yazidis around the world, the majority of whom lived in Iraq before the were forced to flee in 2014.

Islamic State, which has relentlessly persecuted Yazidis, believes them to be "devil-worshippers". In fact they are monotheists who believe seven angels guard over the earth including Melek Taus, the Peacock Angel.

Bishop of Derby Alastair Redfern said: "We're doing some work to listen and help others understand what that faith is really about, so it's part of the family of faiths in the world."