Religious freedom is a right but not an absolute one, Europe’s top court said, ruling that British Airways discriminated against a devoutly Christian employee by making her remove her crucifix, but backing a British charity that fired a marriage counsellor who refused to give sex therapy to gay couples.

A British Airways employee who claimed she suffered discrimination at work because of her faith has won a landmark legal battle at the European Court of Human Rights.

A marriage therapist sacked for refusing to give sex therapy to homosexuals, a register who refused to conduct gay marriages, and a nurse and an airline steward who insist on wearing crucifix jewellery have taken their cases to the European Court of Human Rights.

St Patrick’s Day revellers in London and Belfast will be exposed to 14 times more pollution in Irish themed bars than they would if they were drinking in pubs in the Republic, a survey claimed today.