A SEVERED pig’s head has been discarded outside a mosque in Cambridge, sparking alarm among the city’s Muslim community.

The head was discovered on the steps of the place of worship by families on their way to prayers on Monday night.

Last night religious leaders were due to hold an emergency meeting at the Shah Jalal Bangladeshi Community House in Darwin Drive.

The act, which has been described as a hate crime, is considered offensive as Muslims believe pigs are unclean.

A worshipper at the mosque, who did not wish to be named, said: “It is a terrible insult. There are about 40 families who go to the centre and everyone is highly emotional at the moment.

“Some families found it as they went for prayer at about 9pm. It was a very ugly sight. This was a nasty and appalling thing to do. We thought we had good relations with the community around here.

“The police came and took the head away for forensic examination. This has caused a lot of upset.”

Shaikh Abdul Mabud, from the Islamic Academy in Cambridge, said: “I think this is a hate crime.

“It shows a lack of religious understanding and tolerance. We are all shocked.”

Cambridge’s MP Julian Huppert has joined with Muslim leaders to condemn the attack and police have launched an investigation.

He said: “This is absolutely appalling and clearly deeply upsetting for worshippers.

“Cambridge prides itself on being a strong multi-racial city, and this abhorrent act will in no way undermine the strong community spirit that exists here.

“I urge anyone who knows anything about this incident to work with the police so that the perpetrator can be caught promptly and dealt with.”

Mohammed Mahmood, a trustee of the Abu Bakr Siddiq Mosque, Mawson Road, Cambridge, was due to meet with the community for an emergency summit last night.

He said: “We are meeting to calm the community. Whoever did this should be brought to justice.”

City Muslim leader Abdul Arain said he was saddened by the attack.

He said: “I am not so much angry but sad that someone has stooped so low as this. It is a lack of education and enlightenment about their own faith and that of others.”

Some Muslims believe the pig’s head attack could have been triggered after an application to increase the number of worshippers at the mosque prompted objections from some residents.

Anyone with information about the Cambridge incident can call police on 0345 456 4564. A police spokesman said: “We are investigating this incident.”