A NEW purpose-built mosque and community centre will be created to replace an ageing Bolton place of worship.

The Madina Mosque in St George's Road will relocate to Laburnum Street in a move which is expected to boost the mosque's already 400-strong membership.

Mosque elders had raised concerns that the existing town centre location was too far for most users, who live in the Chorley Old Road and Chorley New Road area and Heaton, to travel.

Children walking to Islamic evening classes at the mosque had to cross busy Topp Way.

A community centre for younger members will also be attached to the mosque.

The building will have an 18-metre high minaret but councillors were assured this was for design purposes and would not be used to broadcast the call to prayer.

The present St George's Road mosque, in two converted houses, has stood in its present location for around 35 years. The new site has been plagued by fly-tipping and councillors welcomed the chance to improve it.

Councillors passed the proposal without objections at a planning committee meeting on Thursday.