.THE leader of Bolton Council has said that he is still willing to talk about the future of a mosque.

Cllr Bob Howarth has issued a statement saying that the council has always been prepared to negotiate with the leaders of an Islamic mission on St George's Road.

The Muslims are to be evicted from the mosque after losing a court battle with the council.

The Court of Appeal ruled that they had no right to continue using their religious base, where children are taught the Koran.

Now the council has the right to bulldoze the wooden building early in the New Year.

A decision by Bolton County Court was upheld by the Court of Appeal after Bolton Council argued it owned the land where the mosque had been set up without permission.

But Cllr Howarth said that he would still be willing to talk to community Imam Musa Ali Qasmi and members.

Cllr Howarth said: "The council accepts that Mr Qasmi and members of his Mission have used the building on the land for many years, but it has always been prepared to negotiate with them.

"However, no progress could be made in negotiations while Mr Qasmi denied the council's ownership of the land.

"Even now the question of ownership has not been finally settled as, in July, Mr Qasmi issued proceedings claiming adverse possession of another plot of council land on the far side of the disputed land, fronting on to Dawson Lane.

"Until such a time as Mr Qasmi acknowledges that the whole of the land between the newsagent's shop and Dawson Lane belongs to the council, there can be no constructive discussion about its future.

"He has been advised of this conditional offer to negotiate over many years, but has chosen to go to the courts.

"In the meantime, our door remains always open if the Mission members wish to talk to us."

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