The Church of England has offered advice for those who may be in need of debt help this Christmas.

The Church of England has told shoppers not to use credit cards this Christmas if they want to avoid a "terrible New Year".

Broadening its holiday message to include a more secular topic, the religious organisation has launched a three-part videocast entitled Wishing You an Affordable Christmas.

Presented by Dr John Preston, national stewardship officer for the church, the trio of three-minute online broadcasts identify some of the pitfalls associated with spending during the festive season.

He advised that using plastic could leave consumers looking for a debt management solution in the New Year, so if possible, shoppers should budget in advance and avoid using their credit cards.

However, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) were not keen to praise the religious organisation's efforts, as it commented that shoppers should not be criticised for borrowing money.

Richard Dodd, at the BRC, said: "It is wrong to demonise those who want to borrow. Yes, shoppers should not borrow money they can't afford to pay back, but credit is an important device to spread the cost of a range of needs and wants, at anytime, including at Christmas."