THOUSANDS of muslims gathered at a Blackburn mosque to welcome one of the world's top religious men.

Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Sudaysee is Imam at the largest mosque in the world in Mecca, Saudi Arabia and muslim men from all over East Lancashire packed the Jamea Mosque in Cumberland Street to see him at evening prayers yesterday.

Up to 4,000 men were at the event and hundreds more women listened on intercom links in their homes.

The visit was the culmination of months of planning and persuasion by the chairman of the mosque and chairman of Lancashire Council of Mosques Moulala Ahmed Sidat.

The Imam was in the country on special business in Birmingham and Bradford and he agreed to visit Blackburn for prayers and to talk to local muslims. The Jamea Mosque is in the process of being built and not only the shell of the building was crowded but also the community centre next door and the car park outside as the Sheikh's words were played on loud speakers

Mr Zamir Khan, secretary of the community-based Qaaf Centre, said: "The Sheikh is the equivalent of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

"He is a very important man for muslims all over the world and it was his first-ever visit to this part of the country. We were very privileged that he agreed to come here.

"There was a large police presence for security for the Sheikh's visit and we are very grateful to Lancashire Constabulary and the dozens of volunteers who made the event go smoothly."