A UKIP official has strongly criticised Pendle Council for considering a resolution condemning Nike over its production of trainers that many Muslims have condemned as blasphemous.t

Craig McBeth said the motion proposed by Whitefield Conservative Cllr Nadeem Ahmed for debate at tonight, 'has no relevance to local residents'.

The move follows a long-running controversy over Nike's Air Max 270 trainers with a stylised logo on its sole which many Muslims claim resembles the Arabic word for 'Allah'.

The company has faced a social media storm of protest and petitions with thousands of signatures calling for the product's recall.

Last month the Lancashire Telegraph reported how Burnley and Pendle Friends League launched its own protest petition after a Pendle man bought the shoes from a JD Sports store in Burnley.

Cllr Ahmed's motion for tonight's Full Council meeting at Nelson Town Hall is headed 'Nike Blasphemy'.

It 'notes the recent news of a pair of Nike trainers being purchased locally with the Islamic name of God “Allah” being subtly ingrained in the sole' and 'the hurt and upset this has caused in the local Muslim community'.

It asks the meeting to 'condemn Nike’s 'disrespecting the Islamic name of God , 'Allah' ingrained in their products sole' and write to the company demanding it ceases production and sale of the trainers immediately.

Colne resident Mr McBeth, the 39-year-old secretary of the Burnley and Pendle branch of UKIP, said: "Pendle Council is considering a blasphemy motion condemning a trainer by Nike.

"I am deeply concerned the council is involving itself in an issue which has no relevance to local residents. .

"This is completely unrelated to Pendle, and a waste of taxpayers time and resources.Councillors should be working to deal with real issues such as burglaries, drug use, housing and unemployment "

Cllr Ahmed said: "This issue was raised with me by a resident and many others have signed petitions on this.

"It is clearly a matter of importance to many Pendle residents and worthy of debate by the council.

"I would feel and do exactly the same if a company sold a product which offend Christians, Hindus or Buddhists."

A Nike spokesman has said any likeness to the word for Allah was accidental and the company respects all religions.

He said the markings were intended to reflect Air Max and any other perceived meaning or representation was wholly unintentional.