Mosques around Britain opened their doors to visitors to help people understand their faith.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said it hopes the annual Visit My Mosque Day will help show unity in "a tense time for faith communities".

Nick Taylor, chief executive at the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation For Peace, said he had a "fascinating afternoon" and had "learnt so much" with his visit to the Warrington Islamic Centre.

Mr Taylor tweeted he had been been "privileged to be allowed to watch prayers" and to learn about the Islamic faith.

Mr Taylor holds a senior role in the charity which was set up in the names of two young boys were killed in the IRA's bombing of Warrington in March 1993. It aims to try and prevent, resolve and respond to violent conflict.

More than 80 mosques - including several in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast - took part in the second annual open day.

The MCB said it was a way for Muslims to reach out to fellow Britons and to give them an insight in to the day-to-day goings-on of their faith "beyond the hostile headlines".

The open visits come amid a series of Europe-wide demonstrations against the growth of Islam in Europe.

There were scuffles at the launch of the anti-Islamisation group Pegida in Dublin on Saturday while other Pegida supporters also held a march in Birmingham.

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