THE news of the mass shootings at two mosques in New Zealand last week sent shockwaves around the globe, reaching the residents of Bolton.

In the wake of the attacks, an Auckland woman formed an unexpected bond with Bolton's Muslim community while paying respect to the victims.

Carrie Schuster was born in Bolton, but spent 23 years in New Zealand, making the country her adopted home after travelling there in 1996.

Mrs Schuster, 47, married her Kiwi husband and raised a family, before they returned to her home town in September of last year. The family now lives in Lostock.

When she heard the news of Friday's attacks in Christchurch, which left 49 people dead and a further 48 wounded, she was heartbroken.

Mrs Schuster said: "I couldn't believe it. I was just shocked because everyone assumed it wouldn't happen in New Zealand, it's one of the most peaceful places to live, but we've been proven wrong.

"It's had an impact on the world, but it hit home because we've just come from there and Bolton has got a huge Muslim community. I thought enough is enough."

The next day, Mrs Schuster, her husband Henry and 10-year-old son Owen went to the Zakariyya Jaam'e Masjid mosque to remember the victims of the violence.

She said: "I wanted to let our Muslim community know I was thinking about them because they would be really affected by it. I wanted to reach out and say hello"

"Our intention was to leave flowers at the door to show that people in their community care and that they should not be afraid."

Instead, she was approached by leaders from the mosque, who were touched by her small act of friendship.

Mrs Schuster added: "They invited us in with warmth and gratitude and showed us around their beautiful place of worship."

She says she grew up next to the mosque during her time in Bolton as a youngster, but this was the first time she had looked inside. The president of the Sri Lankan Bolton Community, Mohammed Anas Sadim, guided Mrs Schuster and her little boy around the building at the centre of the town's Muslim community and shared how the attacks had affected the group.

Mr Sadim said: "We felt honoured that somebody from another community would do this. We feel there's somebody that understands the hardship we're going through. We don't want [the children] to feel negatively about another community, it was one individual [that caused the attacks].

"This is something to build up in the community, to live with each other and respect each other. There's more to bring us together than to keep us apart."

Mrs Schuster and Mr Sadim hope the experience can be used as an example to unite multicultural communities to become one. She added: "We've got to start small, it's about making people feel safe and accepted."