A renowned author from Beaconsfield could become England’s first Catholic saint since the 17th century.

Novelist GK Chesterton, who created the fictional priest-detective Father Brown, could become the country’s first Roman Catholic saint in 300 years, according to national media reports.

The poet, playwright and crime thriller writer came to Beaconsfield in 1909, and he lived there until his death on June 14, 1936.

An official report looking at the case to make him a saint is expected to be released next month. The report is expected to dispute claims that Chesterton held anti-Semitic views.

His work included caricatures of Jews, stereotyping them as greedy and cowardly.

He is said to have answered the prayers of Catholic couples asking for "miracle" babies.

Peter Doyle, the Bishop of Northampton, appointed Canon John Udris to look into Chesterton's credentials in 2013.

After the publication of the report, Bishop Peter Doyle will then decide whether there is enough evidence to open a 'cause' with the Vatican, according to The Mirror.

The Vatican will then look for evidence of two “posthumous miracles”.

Canon John Urdis told The Telegraph: “Very interestingly, I have noticed people saying that they are praying for him.

“Because they didn’t have any children, Frances and Gilbert [Chesterton], so they are finding him as a bit of a go-to person, if for example a couple is infertile and looking to have a child.”

According to a 1911 census, Chesterton lived at Overroads in Penn Road with his wife Frances, a cousin called Michael Braybrooke and two servants, Emily Carr and Edith Pope.

He also regularly visited the White Hart in the Old Town. He died almost exactly 82 years ago of heart failure and he is buried in the town.