IT is not acceptable that a British teacher, Mrs Gillian Gibbons, has been detained in Sudan after her students voted to call a teddy bear Muhammad for a school project.

It has been said by Sudanese officials she insulted the Prophet Muhammad. This is not the case at all.

Sudanese officials are saying Mrs Gibbons needs to apologise. What the Sudanese official/Government are saying is outrageous.

I have contacted Blackburn MP Jack Straw about this case. I have asked him to negotiate the release of Mrs Gibbons.

Most people I have spoken to and my personal views are that Mrs Gibbons does not have to apologise for this blown out of proportion incident.

I think there has been a horrible misunderstanding and Ms Gibbons should never have been arrested in the first place.

COUNCILLOR SALIM MULLA (Senior vice-chair of Lancashire Council of Mosques).