A witches' coven is claiming religious persecution after they were banned from using a social centre for a Halloween gathering.

The Crystal Cauldron group had booked Our Lady's Social Club in Stockport for the group's annual Witches Ball, reports the Daily Telegraph.

But when high priestess Sandra Davis went to pay for the booking she was told it had been blocked by the the Roman Catholic church.

Mrs Davis, 61, had hoped to attract up to 150 people to the social evening offering a buffet dinner and music from an Abba tribute band.

But she was told by the manager that the Diocese of Shrewsbury, which owns the centre, had refused permission for the group to use it.

"It makes you think that there is still a little bit of that attitude from the past of the Catholics wanting to burn witches," she said.

"I thought we had made progress, that we could accept other people's religious paths."