A new dedicated anti-Muslim hate crime reporting line for Lancashire is set to be launched Asian Image can reveal.

The new Anti-Muslim Hate Crime and Incident hotline will be announced at all mosques throughout the region on February 26.

The launch comes at a time when there has been growing concerns over Islamophobic incidents across the UK.

The project will be run by Lancashire Council of Mosques (LCM) and follows research into anti-Muslim hate crime conducted by Lancashire County Council with the support of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire and Lancashire Constabulary.

It will be managed by LCM at their base in Blackburn and manned four hours a day. Abdul Hamid Qureshi from the LCM said: “It is a very important initiative that we are delighted to be supporting."

County Councillor Jennifer Mein Leader of Lancashire County Council, “As leader of Lancashire County Council I am committed to tackling hate crime and incidents of hate across Lancashire. “In fact, this initiative is the result of research commissioned by the county council to explore how religious groups, and particularly Muslim communities, suffer from hate crime and incidents.

“The first step in tackling hate crime is having a true picture of the scale of the problem. This reporting line should play a key role in encouraging anyone who has been a victim of hate crime to come forward.”

Saeed Sidat, Principal Equalities and Cohesion Manager‪ at Lancashire County Council said, “It is an important step to have a dedicated anti-Muslim hate reporting helpline.‬‬‬ “It follows research commissioned by ourselves between 2012 and 2014.

“The project investigated the experience of religiously aggravated crime particularly affecting Muslim communities in Lancashire.

“The report offered a number of recommendations for tackling all types of hate crime concerning awareness raising, third-party reporting, hate crime bystander training, victim management, and interventions with offenders.”

Chief Superintendent Stuart Noble said, “The launch of the anti-Muslim hate crime reporting line is a ground breaking local service aimed at raising awareness and understanding of reporting hate crime, as well as increasing confidence within the community. Chief Superintendent Stuart Noble said: “The launch of the anti-Muslim hate crime reporting line is a ground breaking local service aimed at raising awareness and understanding of reporting hate crime, as well as increasing confidence within the community.

“It is a joint initiative between Lancashire Constabulary, LCM, the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner and Lancashire County Council and builds on Lancashire’s success and progressive approach to working with third party reporting centres and the Strategic Hate Crime and Cohesion Group.”

Clive Grunshaw, Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “All forms of hate crime are unacceptable and they can be deeply distressing for victims.

"Sadly, we know that many people do not report these incidents, not just in Lancashire but across the country.

“Here in Lancashire we rightly pride ourselves on having a diverse and inclusive community and this project shows the commitment of the Council of Mosques, the police, Lancashire County Council and my office to supporting victims of hate crimes. I hope this service will give anyone who feels they may have been the victim of Islamophobic abuse the confidence to come forward.

“Lancashire Police will investigate all reports of hate crime sensitively and thoroughly and I would urge anyone who feels they may have been a victim to report it.

“This can be directly to the police, via a third-party reporting service like this or through Lancashire Victim Services, which I commission to support anyone affected by crime in the county. Only by facing the problem can we tackle it head on and give victims the support they need.”