YORK'S Mosque has started collecting items for the city's food banks to help poorer people in the local community.

Collections will be made at the mosque and Islamic centre in Bull Lane every Friday, with deliveries made to the food bank in Acomb, said mosque director Dr Mebs A Surve.

Imam Abid Salik said Muslims and non-Muslims were all invited to come to the Mosque and donate items, which would be distributed to people of all races and faiths, and about 150lbs of food had been collected in the first week.

He said the collections had been launched during Ramadan, when Muslims were thinking of unfortunate people who had no food to eat as well as fasting.

Meanwhile, the mosque is inviting its local neighbours and friends, as well as the Archbishop of York, local councillors, MPs, police and interfaith groups, to its 'Big Iftar,' which takes place at 8pm on Sunday.

The Big Iftar is a national initiative, intended to promote neighbourliness and strengthen community relations, encourages mosques, community centres and places of worship to come together and share iftar, in which Muslims celebrated the breaking of what was likely to be the last day-long fast of Ramadan.