DOZENS of members of two different faiths came together to pray for peace at a North Yorkshire cathedral.

Muslims and Christians joined together at Ripon Cathedral to take part in prayer and silent thought on the ongoing conflict in Iraq. About 50 Muslims, from the Leeds Muslim Forum and Scarborough Islamic Society, laid down prayer mats in the cathedral at a weekend service.

They later joined a group of Christians at a Shrine for Peace and Justice to pray for an end to hostilities in the Gulf.

Dr Hassan Alkatib, chairman of the Leeds Muslim Forum, said joint initiatives helped foster tolerance and respect for each others' beliefs.

The Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Methuen, said it was important that people demonstrated that the war was not about religion or between religions.

Updated: 10:12 Monday, March 24, 2003