LARGE families of orthodox Jews are helping to turn round the historic decline of Britain's Jewish population, according to new research.

Manchester University says the number of people describing themselves as Jewish is steadily creeping up - after falling from 450,000 in 1950 to around 280,000 today.

Dr Yaakov Wise, from the university's Centre for Jewish studies, said the growth was largely among orthodox Jews who make up almost three quarters of births.

The centre says Jewish women who describe themselves as secular have an average of 1.65 children, compared to 6.9 for orthodox women.

Greater Manchester's orthodox population, at around 28,000, is one third of the region's Jewish population - up from a quarter 10 years ago - and there's been a similar increase in London.

Dr Wise said: "The high birth rate of ultra-orthodox Jews will have a major impact on the Jewish community.

"The birth rate has exceeded the mortality rate for the first time since the war in each year since 2005."