St Matthew’s Church off Boultham Park Road in Lincoln was burned to the ground on the early hours of Saturday. Eight years ago the Church closed the building after failing to find the £20,000 required to keep it open. Anger greeted the award of planning permission in July to convert the building into a mosque.

The chairman of the city's Islamic Association, Dr Rameez Zafar, said: “It is very sad for us obviously and there is a possibility it is a hate crime.” The police and fire service are investigating the blaze, and admit a hate crime cannot be ruled out.

Meanwhile, the Muslim Education Centre of Oxford (Meco) accused Christian charity Open Doors UK of preaching “evangelical propaganda”, after the Christian group held a Call to Prayer day to support inter-faith relations at St Aldate’s (pictured) in Oxford last Sunday.

Meco chair Dr Taj Hargey said: “I was shocked by their theological self-righteousness. They assume the self-appointed task to 'pray for Muslims'.”

A press release from the Christian organizations said: “Open Doors and St Aldate’s very much regret that offence has been taken by Meco at an event designed to encourage churchgoing Christians to engage positively with Muslims.”



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