'This is our flag... we are proud British Muslims'

Ibrahim Syed said the mosque is flying the union jack

A Muslim centre that found a union jack had been tied to its railings decided to fly it from its window to show its members pride in being British.

Ibraham Syed, from The Wirral Deen Centre on Borough Road in Birkenhead, said its leaders felt it was a perfect opportunity to affirm their allegiance to this country.

He said he believed the placing of the flag outside the centre - which includes a mosque - had been "intended to cause offence".

"We thought strong and powerful response would be to show that this is our flag and we are proud British Muslims," he said.

The Wirral Deen Centre in Birkenhead also contains a mosque

Mr Syed added: "My parents worked and lived here, my grandparents came here," he said.

"So I think it's a common misconception that Muslims aren't regarded as British, we needed to address that."

Union jacks and flags of St George have been appearing all over the country in recent weeks, tied to lamp-posts our placed in people's windows.

Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram told BBC Radio Merseyside earlier this week that he was not against patriotic displays, but said he drew the line at people using flags to target "people who they might describe as non-English or non-British or whatever".