Hate arrests after 'pork' smeared on mosque in Sherwood Published duration 23 June 2017

image caption A Muslim community group took over the former Fiveways pub in 2015

Two men have been arrested after meat, believed to have been pork, was smeared on the front door of a mosque.

A union flag was also placed on the door at the Al-Quba Masjid mosque in Sherwood, Nottingham, in the early hours of Sunday.

Nottinghamshire Police arrested two men, aged 27 and 30, on suspicion of a racially aggravated offence and they have since been bailed.

Ramadan prayers were taking place when the men were seen outside.

Adeela Ahmed, from the mosque, said the former pub building was full of worshippers when two men were seen "hanging around" outside.

She said: "A few people were quite suspicious, we've got CCTV so it alerted somebody and then we could see these two guys.

'Highly offensive'

"When they thought everyone had left they put some meat, which more than likely was pork, on to the door and then they got a union jack and they put it in the flower basket and were filming it.

"As Muslims we don't eat pork, a lot of people know that, it's highly offensive and they probably realised that."

Ms Ahmed said she was "shocked" and "angry" as Sherwood is a multicultural area and she never expected anything like that happen there.

"A lot of people are fearful," she said. "Lots of women feel quite nervous sending their children to the mosque."

Nottinghamshire Police said they were called at 01:45 BST on Sunday following reports of two men acting suspiciously at the mosque in Edwards Lane, Sherwood.

The force said a hate crime investigation was opened and two men were arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.