Savile Town

What British Muslims really think: Poll sparks controversy. Men congregate outside the Markazi mosque in Savile Town, Dewsbury on July 5, 2015. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS. RSS; Follow; Email; Print; Share. Ouerdya Ait Abdelmalek| Agence France Presse.

Mr Patel died on Thursday and his funeral was held at the Savile Town playing fields – the only venue large enough – on Friday. Mourners came from across the UK and flew in from European countries including France, Germany, Spain and Portugal.

An estimated 5,000 people have turned out for the funeral of a respected Muslim leader in a small Yorkshire town. There's only 63,000 people living in Dewsbury but the service for Hafiz Mohammed Patel has attracted people from around the world.

Dewsbury South councillor Masood Ahmed said between 15,000 and 20,000 people have travelled to the town to pay their respects. He said: "Hafiz was an instrumental figure in building the mosque to make sure there was something for the community.

Dewsbury South councillor Masood Ahmed said between 15,000 and 20,000 people have travelled to the town to pay their respects. He said: “Hafiz was an instrumental figure in building the mosque to make sure there was something for the community.

He said: “We want people to be aware that there may be some congestion while the service takes place.” Arriva Yorkshire tweeted: “Allow extra journey time when travelling in the Dewsbury area. “We are expecting increased congestion around Savile Town ...