A NEW, smoky flavour of the Middle East has been proving a hit in a Blackburn -- thanks to an Arabic version of the British pub.

Jordanian-born Mohammed Jaber, 48, owner of the Sahara Cafe in Darwen Street, has flavoured tobacco called shisha and smoking vessels called argeeleh or hubbly bubblies in his shop.

Mohammed said the takeaway is enhancing Blackburn by bringing the Arabic culture to the East Lancashire public.

In Jordan and other Arabic countries shisha is smoked in many homes and almost every high street.

Cafes selling it are used as communal meeting places where people can sit, talk and smoke for hours. Mohammed said with religions forbidding drinking alcohol, shisha cafes are the Arabic equivalents of English pubs.

Mohammed moved from Jordan to Accrington in 1985, he studied accountancy for a time at Bolton College but left to work in the takeaway trade.

Now he has realised his dream by owning his own establishment in the centre of Blackburn.

And he said that his unique offerings are proving popular with born and bred Blackburnians -- although the occasional visitor inquiring about the availability of cannabis is left disappointed!

Mohammed said: "A lot of people have been trying shisha, especially English people.

"I have sold twenty argeelehs since opening four months ago and 70 per cent of these were to English people."

Mohammed accompanies the Egyptian-imported shisha with Bedouin coffee and a board game, using draught-like pieces, called Tawlah Zahar

And he said that the shisha is not as damaging to health as cigarettes are. He said there is no tar and 0.06 per cent nicotine content.

Coun Karimeh Foster, a friend of Mohammed said that the introduction of shisha to Blackburn's streets is an important step towards learning about each other's cultures.

Coun Foster, who represents the Liberal Democrats in the Whitehall ward, Darwen, said: "When people understand other people's cultures and they know their customs they will be less against each other.

"This is what we are trying to do by bringing the customs of Jordan here. We are friendly and we believe in a good community.

"The shisha brings the community together. They meet and talk but don't believe in harming their bodies by using this smoke that doesn't harm their body."

Shisha tobacco can be flavoured with many fruits and spices including apple, strawberry, pineapple, mint, and cappuccino.

Mike Madigan from Blackburn's Ethnic Minorities Development Association said: "I have never heard of anything like this before in Blackburn.

"Personally my preference is I don't like smoking, but shisha smoking is widely practised in Arab society.

"If it encourages people to come together socially from different ethnic groups then I applaud that."