HUNDREDS of people took part in the 35th annual Keighley procession to celebrate the birthday of the prophet Mohammed.

Keighley Muslim Association, who organised the procession earlier this month, returned to the old route and began from the Markazi Jamia Mosque in Emily Street.

The walkers, who set off at 11.15am, headed along Lawkholme Lane, Alice Street, North Street, Cavendish Street, Bradford Road and Parson Street before returning to Emily Street.

Participants waved green flags and were offered food, sweets and hot drinks along the route donated by local businesses.

Zafar Iqbal, General Secretary for Keighley Muslim Association, said the procession finished shortly before 1pm and was followed by speeches focusing on the life and character of the prophet.

Food was also served in the community centre attached to the mosque.

He added: "This was our 35th annual procession and the most successful one to date. There was a lot more people here this year than there has ever been.”

This year the dignitaries attending included Deputy Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire David Pearson, Lord Mayor of Bradford Cllr Abid Hussain, Keighley MP John Grogan, Bishop of Bradford Toby Howarth, Keighley town chaplain the Rev Jonathan Pritchard and Keighley town mayor Mohammed Nazam.

Also present were town councillors John Kirby, Mohammed Anayat, Phil Shaw, Kaneez Akthar, and Julie Adams, deputy town clerk Joe Ashton and deputy town mayor Amjad Ahmed.

Shoukat Mirpuri, the president of Keighley Muslim Association, thanked everyone including Keighley Neighbourhood Policing Team inspector Khalid Khan and his team, Bradford Council highways officers, the traffic management team, and businesses for their continued support.

The Muslim Association said that because there was a little disruption due to roads being closed, it would work with partner organisations to look at how this can best be handled in the future.

The birthday of the Prophet Mohammed, known as the Mawlid or Mawlid al-Nabi al-Sharif, is commemorated in Rabi' al-awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar.

The history of this celebration goes back to the early days of Islam when some of the Tabi`in, the successors of the Companions of the Prophet, began to hold sessions with poetry and songs composed to honour Mohammed.

Mohammed was the founder of Islam, and according to Islamic doctrine was was God's Messenger, sent to confirm the essential teachings of monotheism preached previously by prophets like Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Mohammed is viewed as the final prophet of God in the main branches of Islam.