TOWN councillors voted unanimously to recommend rejecting proposals to build Cumbria’s first dedicated Muslim prayer hall in Furness.

Dalton Town Council has urged Barrow Borough Council to turn down the application to build the hall just off Ulverston Road.

Councillors voted against the proposals at a meeting, which was attended by almost 100 members of the public - the vast majority of whom were opposed to the plans.

South Lakes Islamic Centre’s bid to build the religious centre has attracted the attention of far-right group Britain First, which urged its members to oppose the proposals.

Fiona Thomson, town clerk at Dalton Town Council, said it had been flooded with more than 1,000 emails objecting to the proposals since the last council meeting a fortnight ago - many of which were unaddressed and contained objections on cultural and religious grounds, which are irrelevant to any consultation process. She said she suspected the majority had come from Britain First supporters.

At Monday’s meeting a number of material concerns were raised by residents, forming the basis of the town council’s grounds for objection.

Councillor Des English said: “The room was packed full.”

Cllr English said the main factor guiding his decision to vote against the proposals was down to parking problems.

"The applicant has only allowed for 11 parking spaces in the plans," he said. "Parking is already terrible as it is around that part of Dalton.”

Attendees raised objections the project would not create jobs as well as on the grounds that badger setts are claimed to have been sighted on the land next to where the construction would take place.

David Taylor spoke against the plans for more than one hour. Mr Taylor and another objector Glenn Higgins said afterwards: "We are pleased that after consideration of the numerous objections put forward that the town council did vote unanimously in favour of rejecting the planning proposal.

“We now look forward to Barrow Council’s planning committee coming together to make a final decision, and would urge them to respect the decision made and the wishes of the residents who lodged objections."