A mosque could soon be giving the Worthing skyline an eastern flavour.

Plans to spend £150,000 upgrading the Worthing Muslim Cultural Centre, in Ivy Arch Road, Worthing, have been submitted to the town's development control committee.

If they are approved, the current centre will get a dramatic face-lift featuring a semi-circular board at the front to give the impression of a dome, stylised windows and Islamic writing on the doors.

Inside the mosque, or Masdjid, a main area used for storage is set to be converted in to a prayer hall, meaning the growing number of muslims visiting the town will not be forced to pray on nearby pavements due to lack of space.

The cultural centre has been running a fund-raising campaign to pay for the modifications and almost half the cash needed has been donated from members, friends and family.

Centre chairman Ali Rahman suspected the terrorist attacks of September 11 had stifled fund-raising efforts but was determined the target figure would be reached.

He said: "The top floor of the centre used to be offices with a warehouse on the ground. We have refurbished upstairs and have used it for ten years but the rest has just been for storage - we never had enough funds to refurbish it.

"Due to numbers increasing, we need the space and decided to actually do something to expand.

"In ten years our member numbers have increased ten-fold, mainly from Worthing but also from Lancing, Littlehampton, Bognor and Storrington - there is no other mosque in the area and ours is the nearest one to them.

"At the moment people are praying on the floor and outside on the pavement, obviously we need better facilities for all of them.

"It's very difficult to do because of September 11, a lot of people are not willing to fund this sort of project because it might be misconstrued."

Jake Purches, centre member, said a range of facilities were needed, including places for children to learn the Koran and for women to hold discussion groups.

He said: "The plans are necessary for the centre's continuing growth, in ten years it will be a serious problem if it is not resolved now."