ONE of Blackburn’s biggest mosques, with a capacity of 1,500, has been unveiled.

The new £1.3million Noorul Islam mosque, in Audley Range, has been completed on time and on budget using entirely locally sourced contractors and materials.

The impressive new building, which features a north African-style seven-metre-wide dome and two minarettes, officially opens on Friday.

But today The Lancashire Telegraph was given a tour of the impressive new venue.

Project manager Yusuf Seedat gave up his job as a Post Office manager to lead the scheme for the past five years.

It has taken three years to build and all investment has come from the local community.

The building will be used as a mosque and also as a community centre and base for local inter-faith work.

Mr Seedat, 53, of Chester Street, said: “It has been a challenging work but we now have a development that we can all be proud of. It looks great inside and out and hopefully we now have a facility to be used for generations to come.”

The mosque has moved from a much smaller facility across the road in Dewhurst Street.

Mufti Ashraf Sidat, the mosque principal, said: “We are overwhelmed by the fantastic facility that we now have. It is something to be very proud of.”

The building features several large prayer halls, one of which features an ornate granite mehrab alcove.

There are also meeting rooms and an IT suite is to be put in place.

The dome, which is made of enforced plastic, was constructed by IGF Developments in Rishton and the site was carpeted by Cavalier Carpets in Blackburn.

All joinery and electrical work was completed by Blackburn-based workers and it was finished and cleaned by members of the local community.