Police have this week revealed seven major new investigations are ongoing into alleged child sexual exploitation in Keighley.

Airedale and North Bradford Police confirmed these cases are among a total of 18 across the whole of Bradford district.

The news comes as Keighley religious leaders took the unprecedented step of publicly uniting in their condemnation of such acts, urging the community to “stay strong” in the run-up to what is anticipated to be a “massive” Keighley child sex grooming trial starting in the New Year.

The Rev Dr Jonathan Pritchard, of All Saints’ Church in Highfield said: “We know in the New Year a storm is coming – a very serious trial concerning grooming in our town.

“We know from our experience of what has happened in Rochdale, Rotherham and Oxford that when this hits the courts, a media circus will come to town. It will put us under great pressure.”

Addressing dozens of people during an open day at Keighley’s Emily Street Mosque, he said: “That is why we need to meet together like this, so we can face this as a united people.

“Grooming is not about Asians or Muslims, it’s about individuals doing despicable things. These individuals have been condemned in the mosques without reserve, and we stand united with the mosques in saying this is wrong.”

A police spokesman confirmed officers in Keighley and Bradford have been undertaking a complex operation to catch those responsible for child sexual exploitation since November 2012.

Only limited details can be released at this stage to avoid jeopardising investigations. But it has been revealed 32 people have been arrested, which includes suspects from Keighley.

Most of these people are currently on bail, and no court date has been fixed.

Visiting Muslim speaker, Sheikh Mohammed Saleem, said: “Society has the right to be protected, and when we see young men grooming children, that has absolutely no place within Islam. Society doesn’t accept it and Islam doesn’t accept it.

“The Muslim community has to stand up against injustice and address these issues.

“Sometimes people feel scared to do this, but every religion has always said you have to stand by the truth, no matter how painful it may be.”

Dr Pritchard added: “These are really hard issues and there is no simple answer, but we are called to find a way to address it together. If we can learn from these cases now, then we can stop other young people being harmed in the future.”