A religious group which has outgrown its centre in a terrace house is hoping to buy one of Keighley's most historic mansions and nationally important gardens.

Keighley Buddhist Centre would turn Whinburn, at Utley, into a new centre of learning.

And it would throw open the doors of the house and the seven-acre garden -- listed by English Heritage as being of national historic importance -- to the public of Keighley to use as a place of peace and refuge.

The group is appealing for help to buy the building -- on the market at £750,000 -- which was constructed between 1896-8 and 1911-13 by Keighley textile equipment baron Prince Prince-Smith.

Its present base in Skipton Road, where it has been for the last two years, is now too small.

Whinburn was until 2002 used by Bradford Council as a special pupil referral unit.

It is now a haven for wildlife and is home to a colony of bats in an outbuilding and cellar and to deer, badgers and pheasants. And the garden -- now overgrown and neglected -- is listed by English Heritage on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England.

Buddhist monk Tsewang, the Keighley centre leader, said the group planned to sell its Skipton Road base and was looking for a generous benefactor who could help meet the balance.

He said: "Whinburn is a magnificent place and part of Keighley's heritage.

"We want to keep the building as it is and to re-establish the garden. We understand it is one of the ten best gardens of its kind in the country.

"The aim is to move in and then work to establish the centre and the garden with volunteers. We are a non-profit making organisation, unlike other bidders, and we hope people will appreciate our offer to the community."

Meditation classes, including stress classes, would be expanded and it was hoped to encourage schools to visit the centre and use a nature trail around the garden.

The 16 bedroom/dressing room house is virtually unchanged since it was constructed and contains a mock Gothic baronial hall and gallery, oak floors and panelling, plaster moulded ceilings and ornate ceiling joists.

One room has an owl cage -- Mr Prince-Smith, who died in 1940 aged 70, was fond of the birds --- and the building contains friezes of his coat of arms.

A spokesman for the selling agents, Strutt & Parker, of Harrogate, said there had been considerable interest in the property and sealed bids must be submitted by next Thursday.

* New meditation classes are to be held at Keighley Social Services Centre, in Skipton Road, from next Friday (April 23) from 7.30pm. Regular classes, including Buddhist practice, will continue every Monday in the Buddhist centre, at 7pm.