Delia Smith has come to the defence of Christians she says are facing a “running battle” with “militant neo-atheists”.

The celebrity chef comments - posted on her website, www.deliaonline.com – follow a spate of headlines contesting the place of Christianity in the public square.

Last month a court banned prayers at the meetings of Bideford Town Council on the same day as two Christian guesthouse owners lost their appeal against damages for refusing to let a same-sex couple stay in their double room.

Days later, outspoken atheist Richard Dawkins produced research suggesting a sharp drop in the number of people identifying themselves as Christians. He claimed the findings were proof that Christianity is “largely irrelevant” in Britain today.

Delia Smith, a practising Catholic, wrote on her website: “I am, as you may or may not know, a passionate believer but of late, we are somewhat under the cosh.

“There is a running battle going on in the press, and militant neo-atheists and devout secularists are busting a gut to drive us off the radar and try to convince us that we hardly exist.”

The remarks were made in her Lent appeal for donations to the Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD).