The owner of a makeshift mosque faces legal action if prayer meetings continue.

The three-bedroom house in Brighton Road, Horsham, is used by up to 80 Muslim worshippers at a time for Friday prayer meetings.

Now Horsham District Council has voted to slap an enforcement notice on the building for six months to stop the meetings being held.

Breaching the notice would leave the building's owner, Faqir Mohammad, liable for prosecution.

In 2005 planners described the building as a "valuable community facility" and granted temporary permission to use the building for prayer meetings until January this year.

But they advised a council committee to refuse an application to extend that permission at a meeting this week.

They cited rules designed to stop houses being changed to non-residential uses.

The planning officers' report said: "The continued use of the property for prayer meetings would result in the undesirable loss of a dwelling-house and cause additional parking, activity and general disturbance to the detriment of the amenities of nearby occupiers."

The number of people attending prayer meetings, particularly on days other than Fridays, has reportedly grown since permission was granted.

The worshippers using the building attempted to lease an office in Foundry Lane for use for prayers.

Permission was granted by the council, but the price of the lease was raised after the decision and the plans were shelved.

The building's owner, Faqir Mohammad, applied for an extension to the period agreed in 2005.

The planners' report said: "The council is aware of the applicant's investigation of other premises to meet their needs and there is ongoing dialogue with the council in this regard.

"At the current time, however, it is understood that a further suitable premises has not yet been identified and no further planning applications have been received."

The council received eight letters of objection to the plan to extend the permission.

Forest Neighbourhood Council commented: "We strongly believe that to use this residential dwelling for prayer meetings is both inappropriate and unsuitable."

Issues raised included safety concerns over the number of people gathering in the house, noise levels and parking pressure from people driving to attend prayers.

Coun Sally Horner, who chaired this week's meeting, said: "It was a very positive debate.

"The owner of the building appreciated it was a difficult situation."

Mr Mohammad was unavailable for comment.