Underage marriages 'agreed'

Religious leaders appeared willing to agree to perform underage marriages at some mosques across the UK, an ITV Exposure investigation discovered.

Two undercover reporters called 56 mosques to ask whether they would perform the marriage of a 14-year-old girl.

Two-thirds of those contacted refused to perform the marriage but 18 of the respondents spoken to agreed.

UK Editor Lucy Manning reports:

Abdul Kashem, a trustee of the Al Quba Mosque and Shahporan Islamic centre, in Manchester, condemned underage marriage.

His comments came after an ITV Exposure programme spoke to a man at the mosque claiming to be the Imam who said he would be willing to perform an Islamic marriage for a 14-year-old girl.

However Mr Kashem said the name mentioned in the report "doesn't belong to us".

He added: "It's an open office. It's a mosque. It's not something private and locked up. During the praying hours there are hundreds of people that come here. I don't know how old this guy is and it could be age differences and maybe making fun out of it."