Manchester mosque vandalised days after Eid, £30,000 damage reported

Harun Nasrullah

The Muslim community in Manchester has been left reeling after Elaf Masjid in Cheadle Heath was broken into, vandalised, and looted just days after celebrating Eid al-Fitr. Police say the attack caused over £30,000 in damage, including stolen cash, destroyed religious texts, and a ruined sound system.

The overnight incident, discovered by worshippers on March 21, saw intruders’ smash windows, force open lockboxes, and tamper with the mosque’s boiler, setting it dangerously high. CCTV footage reportedly shows a suspect approaching the building before causing the damage and fleeing with approximately £5,000 in cash donations intended to support the mosque and its charitable work.

Congregants returned for early morning prayers to find copies of the Qur’an thrown to the floor, classrooms ransacked, children’s toys scattered, and cupboards and storage spaces broken into. A newly installed sound system worth over £6,000 was also damaged.

“This incident has caused significant distress within the local community,” said Ben Pickering, 38, who discovered the vandalism. “It happened the morning after Eid, one of the most important days in the Islamic calendar, when the mosque had just been full of families and children. Just hours later, we walked into chaos.”

Regular worshipper Dr Junayed Ahmed, 40, said the mosque felt increasingly vulnerable. “We feel like we are being targeted because we are Muslim,” he said, noting that this was the fifth attack on the mosque since it opened last year.

Greater Manchester Police are investigating the case as a burglary. A spokesperson said, “Officers in Stockport have stepped up patrols and are reviewing CCTV after a burglary on Stockport Road in Cheadle Heath, Stockport. The break‑in was reported to us at around 6am on March 21. A few items are believed to have been stolen, including cash and electrical items, anyone with information can contact us quoting log 594‑21/3/26. There is a scene at the location, and our officers will remain there today.”

In response, a fundraiser was set up, aiming to raise £7,500 to cover repairs and replace stolen items. At the time of reporting, over £4,600 had already been donated. Pickering said all funds would go toward restoring the mosque and improving its security systems to prevent future incidents.

The attack comes amid rising concerns over Islamophobic incidents in the UK, with mosques in Manchester and across the country increasingly targeted by vandals. Earlier this year, police arrested a man for entering another Manchester mosque with weapons during prayers, highlighting the ongoing risks faced by Muslim communities.

“This is not just a building,” said Pickering. “It is where families gather, where children learn, where our community comes together. To see it treated like this is devastating.”