PEOPLE are being urged to voice their opinions publicly on the setting up of Lancashire's first Muslim state school.

The Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School, in Bicknell Street, Shear Brow, Blackburn, is set to become the first Muslim girls' school to be brought under local authority control in the county -- if the government support their application.

Now the voters' view is sought at a public meeting as part the school's consultation process.

The issue has divided opinion with some senior politicians, including Coun Andy Kay, executive member for regeneration, being against single-faith schools in principle.

In January this year Blackburn with Darwen Council's executive board permitted the private school, which has 265 pupils girl aged 11 to 16, to apply to become voluntary-aided, like the town's three church schools.

The consultation process, with two further meetings for school governors and parents, will end in October.

Then an application will be submitted by the school to the Government's Department for Education and Skills -- if approval is given it could take another two years for the whole process to be completed.

Mohammed Vali, deputy headteacher at Tauheedul Islam High School, said the transferring of the school into the control of Blackburn with Darwen Council was necessary to meet the demands of a growing number of students.

Mr Vali said the school had to turn down 60 applicants this year and if it became voluntary-aided it would move to bigger premises.

But Mr Vali stressed that concerns over issues of segregation in Blackburn's education system would be addressed.

Mr Vali said: "There will be exchanges of staff, ideas and visits with other schools. If approached in the right way it will bring the community closer together.

"Even though it will be an Islamic school it won't be isolated as such, we will encourage close links, which will improve race relations, and pupils will get to know one another."

Coun Mahfooz Hussain, executive member for education for the council, said he would not be attending as it was a public meeting but encouraged people to attend.

He said: "It's very important that people get involved. Anybody can go and give their opinion. We are being very honest and open about it."

The public meeting takes place at West Brookhouse Community Centre, Randal Street, Blackburn, on Monday September 29 at 7.30pm.