A development project 10 years in the making is set to get underway.

Work will begin on a rebuilding project at a Bolton mosque next month.

Worshippers at the Makkah Mosque on Grecian Crescent, Great Lever, have wanted to expand the place of worship for around a decade.

And people will be welcomed in on Sunday, July 9, to mark the beginning of the construction of the new building.

The mosque overcame planning permission obstacles and financial difficulties to make the development project possible.

And on one fundraising day alone during Ramadan this year an incredible £400,000 was raised.

The first steps of the construction will begin the day after the celebration event.

The completed project will feature a replacement mosque, madrasah and community centre as well as the demolition of the existing mosque on Grecian Crescent.

Waseem Ameer, the general secretary of the mosque’s committee, said he was excited about the project beginning.

He said: “I have been involved in it for the last two years.

“I was tasked with getting the project off the ground.

“It was pretty tough, we had all the obstacles like getting planning, and we had some difficulties with fundraising.

“We managed to raise £400,000 on one day, it was during Ramadan, we put appeals out on social media.

“It was on the 27th which is one of the most significant days in Ramadan.

“It was a very special prayer.

“I would say there was probably 2,000 to - 3000 people there.

“We had financial strains but this shows people have just recovered from Covid.”

He added: “I had the final pre-construction meeting and I had butterflies.

“It means instead of having three daily prayers we can condense that to one or two.

“We will be able to do more open days."

He said the mosque was a welcome place for all and a chance for everyone to find out more about Islam.

“We expect there to be 2,000 to  3,00 people there on the Sunday.

“The Mayor of Bolton is going to be there as he is a member of our mosque.”