Blackburn police not investigating 250 at mosque

About 250 people attended a funeral at Jamia Ghosia mosque

Officers will not investigate a breach of coronavirus rules after 250 people attended a funeral, police confirmed.

It comes after the imam who led prayers at the Jamia Ghosia Mosque in Blackburn tested positive for Covid-19 following the funeral on 13 July.

The mosque committee had said police and public health officials were investigating the breach of a maximum of 30 people allowed at a funeral.

But Lancashire Police said the case was one for public health officials alone.

Blackburn with Darwen has seen a "rising tide" in coronavirus cases in recent days, according to public health officials, centred on terraced houses with a high number of occupants.

Jamia Ghosia Mosque chairman Mir Zaman told the BBC it was their first funeral since lockdown and accepted they had made a mistake.

He explained he mistakenly thought there were no restrictions on numbers if hygiene and distancing measures were in place.

'Untimely deaths'

Blackburn with Darwen council leader Councillor Mohammed Khan said: "I feel it's my duty to remind residents that sadly at the start of this pandemic, three well known and well respected local Imams died from coronavirus.

"There have been a number of our borough's residents who have sadly also lost their lives due to this deadly virus."

He added: "Their sad and untimely deaths should not be in vain and should serve as a warning about the very real dangers and the severity of Covid-19 but also as a very clear reasoning for limiting funeral and wedding guest numbers, as per the government guidance, to a maximum of 30 people."

The imam who led the prayers at the funeral on 13 July "tested positive for Covid 19 and is recovering from the virus".

In an email to worshippers, seen by the BBC, the mosque committee said "around 250 participants" attended the funeral prayer.

Most of Blackburn's new cases were in the South Asian community

"There is a possibility that other attendees may also have been infected at the Janazza prayers."

• ' Almost half' of Blackburn virus contacts not reached

• 'Almost half' of Blackburn virus contacts not reached

• Blackburn facing 'rising tide' of Covid-19 cases

Most new coronavirus cases have been among Blackburn's South Asian community, public health officials said.

For the next month, the area's 148,000 residents have been told to observe the rules in a bid to avoid a Leicester-style lockdown.