DESPERATE attempts are being made to restore peace to a Bury mosque which was at the centre of amazing violent scenes at the weekend.

Police were called to the Khizra Mosque in Parker Street on Sunday after heated arguments involving around 20 worshippers spilled over outside.

Several people received injuries during violent clashes but no-one was arrested.

The trouble forced the cancellation of the mosque's annual general meeting and election of the executive committee.

Religious leaders say the dispute is over plans to form a single trust.

This, effectively, would bring together members from the other Khizra mosque in Walmersley Road, Bury, and those who represented the Cook Street building which was formerly home to the Parker Street mosque.

On Wednesday Insp Peter Fitzpatrick, Bury police divisional community affairs officer, met mosque leaders.

He is acting as a "peace broker" in a bid to get both factions together and to strive for a peaceful solution. Commenting on Sunday's violence, Khizra group chairman Mr Syed Zahoor Hussan said: "This is the worst incident that could have happened.

"The majority of members were peaceful and it was only a handful of people who spoiled things.

"The meeting could not be held because some people resisted it."

He added: "I will certainly leave no stone unturned in attempting to sort out the problems between ourselves."

Mr Hussan stressed he had full confidence in the ability of mosque members to reach a compromise and to restore peace.

He is hopeful that when the AGM and election is eventually held, it will result in one trust being formed to represent both Khizra mosques.

"Hopefully, the decision of the majority will be to form one trust and that such a decision will prevail to enable progress to continue.

"This is the aim of the majority - between 95 and 97 per cent of the members want the one trust."

Work on the £260,000 Khizra Mosque, Social, Cultural and Welfare Centre, previously a disused industrial building, began in 1994.

The conversion work is being carried out over three stages. Mr Hussan helped found Bury's first mosque in Walmersley Road more than 25 years ago.

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