Muslims gather for Eid prayers at Blackburn park (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Muslims gather for Eid prayers at Blackburn park

2:00pm Tuesday 9th December 2008 in Search

HUNDREDS of Muslims gathered in Corporation Park, Blackburn, for Eid prayers yesterday.

More than 500 worshippers gathered to pray together and listen to a sermon by scholar Sheik Khalid Yasin.

A similar event was due to be held at Eid after Ramadan in October but Blackburn with Darwen Council pulled the plug on health and safety grounds.

Organisers had then opted to hold the event in a local community centre but the turnout was very low.

This time the event was permitted to go ahead.

A giant marquee was built to cater for worshippers and separate prayer facilities were available for women.

The organisers said they brought Eid prayers out of the mosques to make the festival more of a community gathering.