Homeowners are fighting plans to expand a busy mosque amid tensions over worshippers waking residents up with early morning prayers. 

Residents say they are being woken in the early hours of the day by those attending pre-dawn prayers, and further disruption is being caused by the noise of tyres on the gravel car park, the Imam using a microphone to lead prayers and attendees speaking loudly outside the place of worship.

The issues have resulted in mounting tensions between some residents and worshippers, with reports of verbal altercations happening over the parking situations.

Now, the mosque – which holds up to 600 people – is seeking to build into the roof space of the large detached building to create room for more worshippers.

Plans include a new meeting room and a women-and-children assembly room incorporated into a first-floor extension.

But the proposals have been met with resistance from residents who stress their objections are not due to race – but planning concerns.

They say the mosque already causes major parking problems and increasing the numbers will lead to chaos.

They added the plan to add new parking spaces on either side of the road – which will go all the way up to the street corners – is an 'accident waiting to happen'.

Beverley Gilbert, 62, who has lived on the street for 34 years, said her family struggle to sleep due to midnight prayers and early morning worshipping at 4am.

The retail worker said she did not object to there being a mosque but it needed to 'respect and abide by the rules' set by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.

Ms Gilbert said: 'I was woken at 4.30am today and it seems like there are prayers every day, at all hours of the day.

'I've got no objection to a mosque being there but they need to abide by the rules the council have put in place.

'If I was playing loud music I would be expected to stop by 11pm and it would be the same if you were throwing a party.'

She added: 'Hundreds of people go in there and with the use of the microphones the sounds are amplified.

'My eight-year-old grandchild cries because she can't get to sleep, even though we have double glazing.' 

Ms Gilbert said the sound of wheels driving on the gravel late at night is 'so loud'.

She said: 'You hear the loud chatting when they leave, even late at night. Our cars have been blocked in but when we've asked them to move we've been shouted at.

'I'm not racist but I think it is important to respect others and follow the rules.'

Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said when the mosque opened over 20 years ago it was quite small and there were no issues.

But she said a large influx in worshippers in recent years has meant it has 'outgrown the area'.

She said: 'When the mosque first opened I don't remember there being problems. But it has outgrown itself for its location as this is a residential area with narrow streets.

'There are so many cars parked illegally, especially for Friday prayers, that I fear it's an accident waiting to happen.

'The cars park on either side of the road right up to the corners so there is no visibility for other drivers.'

The woman said she does not believe all the worshippers are 'respectful'. 

Instead, she said 'tensions are starting to grow between the mosque and the residents'. 

She added: 'It can be intimidating if you are a woman and you are walking alone along the road after prayers have ended with so many people gathered on the street.

'It is a small place of worship which has outgrown itself already but an extension will mean even more people and makes things worse.'

The woman went on to say if the mosque was extended, it would overlook her garden and affect her 'privacy'.

Jamei Mosque has a sign on its wall urging worshippers to 'respect our neighbours when leaving'.

It also urges them to 'leave the area quickly and quietly' and to 'not park on double yellow lines and respect our neighbours' driveways'.