HOME Office minister Paul Goggins met members of Boltons Muslim community to build bridges in the wake of the London bombings.

About 150 people gathered at the Reebok Stadium to discuss how relationships can be improved - and how to stop the extremist minority in the Muslim community.

But while many considered the event a success, it was also dismissed as a PR stunt which failed to get to the root of problems facing the Muslim community.

Mr Goggins said: "I'm not hiding the fact these meetings have been set up very quickly and there may well be people who think its some sort of PR exercise following the London bomb attacks.

"But the information we gather will form part of a government action plan which will be drawn up later this month.

"We chose to come to Bolton, not because we think it has a particular problem with extremism, but because we know it has a large, well-established Muslim community.

"You can't judge the success of the event just on today. It's very important that we don't see this discussion as a one-off."

Bolton was the fifth and final stop for the minister who has already visited Bradford, Birmingham, Manchester and London.

Colleague Hazel Blears, Minister for Policing, Security and Community Safety, has been to Oldham, Leicester and Burnley, in a tour which the Home Office has promised will end with concrete proposals from Home Secretary Charles Clarke.

Among the group assembled at the Reebok were councillors, Muslim and Christian religious leaders and community workers.

Cllr Ebrahim Adia, who represents the Rumworth ward said the consultation was useful.

He said: "There was an inter-faith feel about the whole event and had it been held at the weekend Im sure more young people would have been here.

"The meeting was a chance for the Muslim community to get their voices heard at government level."

Medical student Lamia Zafrani, aged 18, of Derby Street, Bolton, and mother-of-four Saida Khan, of Halliwell Road, were asked to attend the event by the Bolton Council of Mosques.

Mrs Khan said: "I hope the minister has taken on board what he has heard.

"But why does it take the London bombings for the government to realise the Muslim community has problems that need addressing?

"We have given our views, its now up to them what they do with them.

Ms Zafrani added: "I am concerned by how the media and some members of society see the Muslim community.

"I dont want to be labelled a terrorist or a submissive Muslim woman just because I wear a hijab.

"I was in London recently with my brother travelling on public transport.

"He was carrying a black bag and I noticed people kept moving away from him. Those are the sort of attitudes that we now have to deal with."

But barrister Haroon Rashid, aged 30, of Bradley Fold, Little Lever, a member of the Pakistan Muslim Organisation, said he was concerned by the direction the action plan seemed to be taking.

He said: "We were asked to discuss a number of themes, one of which was about engaging young people.

"The next one down the list was about tackling extremism and radicalisation. I dont think we should be linking the two things.

"The London bombings were the work of four out of 1.5 million Muslims but it seems as if everyone is being tarnished with the same brush."

Tariq Mahmood, a community liaison officer for Haywood School in Lever Edge Lane, Bolton, said: "I dont think the debate got to the heart of the problem I would say it was just a PR exercise.

"I think people were hand-picked to attend and the timing of the event on a week day meant a lot of younger Muslims could not attend."