A muslim group has clubbed together to buy the Maldon district's first mosque.

The future of the Maldon Islamic Cultural Association (Mica) was thrown into doubt after learning the Labour Hall in Maldon, the only meeting place for Muslims in the district, was to be sold off.

But after unsuccessful appeals for somewhere else to hold Friday worship sessions the group decided to take matters into their own hands - and took steps to buy the hall themselves.

Sheikh Faruque Ahmed, president of Mica, said: "We are very happy that we are able to buy the hall.

"It is through donations from our members that we are able to buy it and we are also planning to launch a fundraising programme to help with the costs of running the hall.

"We hope that by buying it ourselves, we could get more members to join us."

But the sale, yet to be finalised, should not mean other community groups will end up on the streets.

"To start with at least, we intend to keep running it as it has been by hiring it out to other groups. That might not continue forever though," he added.

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Published Tuesday, September 7, 2004

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