Muslim women were also offered space in adjoining rooms of St Matthew and St Luke’s church, it is claimed. The newspaper reported that minutes from the meeting read: "One aisle in church to be cleared of chairs for Muslim men to say prayers. "Cover Christian crosses/ photographs in small rooms for ladies to say prayers." The Diocese of Durham has since intervened in the fiasco and told the church it must not hold Islamic prayers in the church building. It stated that church law does not permit acts of worship by non-Christians in a Church of England building.

Source: Daily Mirror May 19, 2019 16:18 UTC