Verses from the Qur'an which promote cleanliness are being used in a new bid to encourage people to take part in a clean-up campaign.

Bradford Council has been backed by the Council for Mosques in producing leaflets carrying the messages as part of the Go Girlington clean-up effort.

The campaign, which was started earlier this year, has employed various measures to encourage people to keep their homes and streets tidy.

They include the issuing by the Council of statutory notices threatening a fine or clean-up charge to those who persist in having rubbish cluttering their land.

Schools and shops have also got in on the act, educating pupils and customers about the hazards of dropping litter.

Council workers hope the leaflet will reinforce the message and encourage residents to 'get-clean and stay-clean'.

The leaflets will be distributed in mosques and Muslim teaching schools following Ramadan and Eid.

And if successful the scheme will be extended across the city.

Masood Gondal, the Council's assistant area co-ordinator for Bradford West, said he hoped Imams would back the campaign by continuing to spread the word on environmental cleanliness.

"We will ask them to reinforce the responsibility on the community," he said.

Mr Gondal said the Council of Mosques had chosen the verses which had relevance to the scheme.

Through the teachings of the Qur'an the leaflet reminds readers of the importance of keeping themselves, their homes and their neighbourhood clean.

And the leaflet offers particular encouragement for residents to stop dropping food and thinking of their neighbours before littering gardens.

Council for Mosques president, Khadim Hussain, said putting the teachings of the Qur'an into an every day context was a good way to unite ideas and emphasise the importance of keeping clean.

"I think it's a really nice idea and I think we should extend this into other areas," he said.

Mr Hussain said Imams across the city have already spread the message of the importance of cleanliness.

He said one of the main problems was people feeding pigeons with left-over food.

"People put out old chapattis and bread for pigeons.

"They think they are doing something good, but it makes pathways a little bit slippery and dirty.

"So we are asking that any food left over is disposed of properly," he said.

Councillor Amjad Hussain (Cons, Toller) said he thought the leaflet would be effective in emphasising the importance of the keep-clean message.

He said: "I think it would definitely make a difference.

"I personally feel more people would take an interest in the keeping the area clean, it's a positive move," he said.

Coun Hussain said he believed the Go Girlington campaign could be a model for similar initiatives across the city..

"It has been very successful and I'm more than sure it would work elsewhere," he said.

The leaflets will be distributed at Girlington mosques from the beginning of November.