A DALTON town planning application has been targeted by far-right group Britain First.

After learning of the plans to build what would be Cumbria’s first dedicated Muslim prayer centre just off Ulverston Road, the anti-Islam organisation urged its supporters to direct objection emails to local authorities.

Councils were flooded with - mostly unaddressed - emails that contained wording almost identical to a post on Britain First’s website.

Dalton Town Council estimates it has so far received more than 1,100 emails from the far-right campaign group, with an average of 25 new emails daily - after an initial rush of several hundred the day after Britain First’s post.

Town Councillors voted unanimously on Monday to recommend that Barrow Council - which will have the final say over the plans - reject the proposals.

Council Clerk Fiona Thomson said: “Barrow Borough Council had received around 2,500 by 2pm of the day following our last town council meeting in November - when we only had around 750. So I assume they’ve had some multiple of what we’ve received.”

Mrs Thomson added: “The content of the letters did not relate to material, valid planning issues. They were issues of religious and cultural difference, as well as concerns around integration into the community. These concerns are not considered and do not form part of the Town Council’s application process.

“In any case, the emails have been deleted - and all the ones printed out shredded - and any emails we are receiving now will also be deleted.”