Four heterosexual couples are to go to the European Court of Human Rights to argue that the UK Government is discriminating by restricting the right to enter into a civil partnership to homosexual couples, reports the Telegraph.

The four couples have all tried to apply for a civil partnership at their local registry offices, but have been turned down because they are not same-sex couples.

The action is being supported by a number of gay rights campaigners, who would like to see an amendment added to the recently published Same-Sex Marriage Bill to open up civil partnerships to mixed-sex couples.