Manchester Cathedral and six city centre churches have come together to produce a hard hitting Christmas Card which prays that the Government will end policies that force asylum seekers into destitution.

The card carries a picture of Mary, Joseph and Jesus fleeing to Egypt. Inside the card contains a prayer for refugees, which says: "During the holy season of Christmas we remember the flight of the holy family to Egypt to avoid persecution, we pray for the safety of those escaping persecution around the world and especially of those who come to this county seeking asylum. The prayer ends by saying; "We pray for our government to end its policy of forcing asylum seekers into destitution."