For many months, large parts of Keighley's Jamia Mosque have been swathed in scaffolding.

Members of the Keighley Muslim Association, which owns and runs the premises, now predict the building work could be finished by the end of the year.

It will mark the final stage of a 12-year struggle to provide local Muslims with a big enough space in which to worship and learn about their faith.

The community has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to fund the development, which has dominated the skyline over Lawkholme for two years.

Muslims hope the enlarged mosque will host a wider variety of activities and welcome more women and young people.

Sajid Khan, 37, the community liaison officer for the Muslim Association, said the mosque was open to all sections of the community.

"It's a Sunni Muslim mosque, but we don't have an embargo on anybody," he said. "We feel that it's a very welcoming, peaceful place where people feel at ease.

"There's a great sense of attachment to the mosque. That's shown by the extent to which people have been willing to put their hands in their pockets and donate towards it.

"When the work is done, we'll have a hall dedicated to women, separate washing facilities, mortuary provision and a separate hall for funerals."

Keighley Muslims have prayed in their own houses since arriving in the town in the 1960s.

However, Muslim worship on the current Emily Street site dates back to 1974, when a two-storey purpose-built mosque was constructed.

By 1996, the town's Muslim population was starting to outgrow the property, which could deal with no more than 800 worshippers at any one time. Mr Khan said on special occasions, such as the Islamic festival of Eid, people had to pray in tents outside the building.