The chairman and around half the board of North Hendon Synagogue have resigned after months of internal friction in the congregation.

Although members remain reluctant to talk about the dispute, one source said that the board members who quit had wanted a more modern outlook.

Two years ago, North Hendon left the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations and dropped "Adath Yisroel" from the synagogue title.

In an email, chairman Yoni Weisz announced his resignation, along with that of vice-chairman Michael Kesztenbaum and board members Julian Maurer, Daniel Ehreich, Ashley Katz and Daniel Greenberg .

"We do not believe that the board in its current form can fulfil its function effectively and in a manner which is consistent with what we believe to be the ethos of the shul," he wrote.

Mr Weisz declined to comment further this week.

A fractious public meeting at a local hotel in November failed to bridge differences inside the 180-member community.

One source close to the synagogue described the latest developments as a "great shame".

There had been concern, he said, that "the shul is not growing as it should because this is a very popular area".