BOLTON Muslim leaders worried about children crossing a busy main road to Islamic classes aim to solve the problem -- by building a new mosque.

Elders at the Madina Mosque in St George's Road are worried for the safety of children having to cross busy Topp Way to reach evening classes at the town centre mosque.

So they have submitted plans to create a new building in the heart of the town's Muslim community in a move which the mosque's general secretary Sabir Khan said should boost the already 400-strong membership.

A community centre for young members would also be attached to the Islamic centre.

Mr Khan said: "The children have difficulty crossing Topp Way. It's potentially dangerous but having the mosque in the heart of the community will remove that problem.

"It should also mean our membership will go up because most people who would use the mosque live in Chorley Old Road, Chorley New Road and Heaton and they won't have as far to travel.

"The present mosque is too small and we are keen to expand."

The existing St George's Road mosque, in two converted houses, has stood in its present location for around 35 years but Mr Khan said only a purpose-built mosque would give scope for expansion.

The Laburnum Street site -- close to the junction of Chorley Old Road and Chorley New Road -- earmarked for the new premises is on the site of some demolished houses.

Mr Khan added: "Having a mosque there will make the area look better. At the moment people throw their rubbish and old beds there. We have been wanting to move to a new base for a long time and we are hoping there will be no objections.

The Madina mosque's membership are expected to meet the majority of the cost of the new mosque. No date has yet been fixed for councillors to consider the planning application.