Hawzah News Agency  (Blackburn - UK) - A Blackburn mosque repeatedly targeted by vandals and thieves is getting a new security fence around its perimeter.

Mosque leaders at the Masjid Al Momineen have been successful in their bid for the seven-foot-tall fencing. It comes after a spate of incidents with in the worst case, thieves breaking into the mosque on Ash Street in April and stealing £3,000 in cash from a safe, as well as causing about £10,000 of damage. At the time, the mosque had just undergone a £50,000 facelift.

Mahmood Dalvi, president of Masjid Al Momineen, said: “The application has been made to try and increase the security to the building. In the last few years there have been a number of break ins and vandalism to the property.

“There has been substantial damage to the property as well as material/monetary loss. The mosque has also seen racist remarks sprayed onto the walls.

“The latest break in resulted in substantial damage to the mosque along with a number of items and money being stolen.”

Case officer John Wilson said: “The use of mesh fencing is not considered to be the best of designs. However, mesh fencing is already in use around a wide expanse of land adjacent to and in the ownership of the Mosque.

"The development therefore is considered to reflect materials used elsewhere within the setting. The ability to open and close the gates at the beginning and end of each day will provide the Mosque and its users with a measure of security not yet provided for.”

Mr Dalvi added: “The proposed fencing will have gates to both sides. This will allow pedestrians to come to the mosque but also use it as access to get from one side of Ash Street to the other. There is also a large gate on the east side of the mosque which allows cars to enter the highway opposite the mosque.

“It is proposed that the gates to allow pedestrians to access parts of Ash Street from both the west and east side will be kept open throughout the day but will be closed after the last evening prayers which could be around 10pm and then reopened around 9am. Most of the break ins have happened overnight.”