TRANSEXUAL muslim Lucy Vallender has been welcomed back to the Broad Street mosque after claiming she was banned because of her gender.

The 28-year-old, of Manor Road, a former Territorial Army soldier who underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2010, spoke out last month after claiming the mosque asked her inappropriate questions and told her to pray with the men.

Now she has patched up her relationship with the mosque and is looking forward to resuming her Arabic classes there.

She said: “They have allowed me back in the mosque. A couple of days ago I called the mosque and spoke to them on the phone and they said I could come back.

“They aren’t giving women’s classes at the moment but as soon as they do I’d like to go back to my studies. They are just waiting for a new teacher.

“I feel like I was treated like a human being. I feel on top of the world.”

Lucy has also fallen in love again with a new man, Avraz, who she met online after divorcing her husband, Murad.

She was the second wife of Murad, who she married earlier this year but has only seen him a couple of times since the wedding.

She is now much happier after meeting her new man, who sprays cars in London and visits her most weekends.

She said: “It’s quite easy to divorce in Islamic law. I have a new partner now. I met him about a month ago. I love him. I am much happier now.

“He knows about my operation and he is really supportive.”

In September, Lucy claims she was banned from the mosque after her Arabic teacher asked her inappropriate questions about her gender.

Lucy said: “At first at the mosque they didn’t ask any questions about my gender. But after a while they asked what my boob size was and whether I had periods.

“They said I was swearing and abusive, but I wasn’t. They also said they didn’t want me to pray with the women because I was looking at them. It was demoralising.”

The mosque denied they ever asked Lucy, whose Islamic name is Layla, inappropriate questions, and they also said that she was never banned from attending.