A VIDEO showing a semi-naked man wearing a burka while doing an ice bucket challenge outside a mosque is being investigated by police.

The clip shows the man, clutching a packet of bacon, with sausages dangling between his legs, being drenched in water outside the Zakariyya Mosque in Peace Street, Daubhill.

The man, wearing only his underwear, socks and shoes and a makeshift burka — a traditional female Muslim headscarf — makes several offensive remarks about Islam.

Another man with him can be heard telling him to hurry up, to which the man responds that he is not scared.

The video — seen by The Bolton News — was uploaded to YouTube and Facebook but was later removed.

It is believed a number of people reported the incident to police, who are now investigating the incident as a hate crime.

Police say the video was filmed some time between midnight on August 24 and 5pm on August 25, and are urging anyone who recognises the people in the film to come forward.

PC Mel Jackson said: “We are aware of a video.

“The content is offensive and has caused distress in the local community - a hate incident has been recorded and is being investigated.

“If anyone knows the identity of any of those in the video we would urge them to contact us.”

A clip of the video — which was named the Ice Mosque Challenge — was also posted on the Stop The Astley Bridge Mosque Facebook page, although it has since been removed.

In the video, the man nominates Muslim social and political activist Anjem Choudhary, muppet Miss Piggy and Bolton boxer Amir Khan before being soaked.

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Former Daubhill resident Annis Patel, who was among those who reported the video to police, said: “I was shocked when I saw this after a friend sent me the link.

“For something like this to happen there in daylight and for these guys to film this in front of a mosque is unbelievable."

Mr Patel, who now lives in Heaton, added: “It beggars belief — the community round there is Muslim so I cannot believe that this could happen.”

Bryn Morgan, one of the adminstrators for the Facebook page, said: “We feel that the acts in themselves were childish and inapproriate and could be deemed as inflammatory.

"We feel that these kind of acts do nothing to promote our cause and in fact undermine it.”

Imteyaz Ali, from Bolton Council of Mosques, said: “Frankly this sort of behaviour is unacceptable and not welcomed by anybody or any group.

“If this is an ice bucket challenge, it’s about time these people cooled their extremist views.

"It is not helpful and the people prosecuted should be dealt with robustly by the authorities.

“They could do something like this outside any place of worship, whether it’s an Islamic one or not, and this is what I would think.”

The hate crime came just weeks after a large-scale protest from the North West Infidels to a proposed mosque development in Blackburn Road, Astley Bridge.

Police are also investigating after a video showing the beheading of American journalist James Foley was posted on the Stop The Astley Bridge Mosque page.

Anyone with information can contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.