THE charity which owns Pendle’s historic Brierfield Mills building is being pursued by a debt collection agency over a £5,500 unpaid phone bill.

The Lancashire Telegraph has seen a letter from debt collection firm SRJ Debt Recoveries to the Sultan Bahu Trust, which is linked to the Islamic Help group which owns the building, in Glenway, Brierfield.

Bosses at Islamic Help said that they were disputing the bill but refused to elaborate further when contacted by the Lancashire Telegraph.

A campaign was recently launched to save the building after council bosses said its deterioration had reached crisis point.

The letter said: “We have been instructed by our client BT to collect (original debt £4,464.17 + fee £1,116.04) £5,580.21 on their behalf.

“We are aware that you may not have heard from BT or one of its collection agencies in some time.

However, it is believed that the outstanding balance is still liable for collection.”

Earlier this year the mill was placed on the ‘at-risk’ register by English Heritage because of its condition.

It has been empty for nearly five years since latter-day owners BSN Medical transferred their operations to Asia.

Birmingham-based Islamic Help took over the building and in 2009 wanted to convert the site into a 5,000-pupil Muslim girls school.

Those plans fell through and the council now wants to bring the mill back to life.

The building is currently empty.

Last month, Pendle Council chief executive Stephen Barnes said: “Brierfield Mills should not be allowed to deteriorate any longer.

“We feel strongly that we must intervene and start new plans to help Brierfield Mills once again provide jobs and boost our local economy.”