TRUSTEES of a Bury mosque at the centre of a power struggle have denied claims of a behind-the-scenes bid for peace.

Dr Mohammed Baig, chairman of the seven-strong trustee body which runs Bury's Parker Street mosque, says there are no such moves.

This is despite the fact that former management committee chairman Mr Syed Zahoor Hussan has apparently approached religious leaders outside to intervene in the row.

Dr Baig said: "There are no behind-the-scenes moves going on."

The trust chairman said he and fellow trustees were satisfied with the way in which the mosque was being run.

The struggle centres on Bury's showpiece £260,000 Parker Street mosque and concerns two separate groups vying for power.

An executive committee, which runs the Khizra Mosque in Walmersley Road and which also had responsibility for the now closed Cook Street mosque, says it should be in charge of the Parker Street site.

But it has made no headway in its attempts to hold an election.

In the other camp a group of seven - including four Muslims who donated £92,000 towards the £120,000 cost of buying the Parker Street building and land - have formed a trust to run the place of worship.

The dispute led to angry scenes late last year when worshippers from the two sides clashed. Nine people were treated in hospital for their injuries.

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