Leeds exhibition celebrates the North's trailblazing Muslims

The exhibition aims to tell the stories of Muslims across a number of different fields, such as medicine

The "trailblazing" contributions of Muslims living and working in the north of England are being celebrated in a new museum display.

Muslims of the North features stories of "pioneering work" by the Islamic community in the fields of commerce, healthcare, law and research.

The display has been curated by Leeds University academic Maria Hussain.

Ms Hussain said she wanted to "showcase the value of cultural diversity and intercultural working" in the region.

Among the people to feature in the exhibition at Leeds City Museum are Nazir Afzal, the former Chief Crown Prosecutor of North West England, and Dr Mumtaz Patel, a consultant nephrologist and vice president for Education and Training at the Royal College of Physicians.

Mohsin and Zubair Issa, the joint owners of Leeds-based supermarket Asda, also feature alongside Prof Ghazala Mir, who is chair in Health Equity and Inclusion at the University of Leeds.

Some of the people featured in the exhibition attended a launch even with the Lord Mayor of Leeds

"This new display is an inspiring addition to the Voices of Asia Gallery and highlights just some of the unique and positive contributions Muslims have made to life in the north of England," Adam Jaffer, Leeds Museums and Galleries' Curator of World Cultures, said.

The museum's wider Voices of Asia Gallery explores Asian culture and Leeds' links with the world's largest continent.

The council said diversity was one of the "cornerstones of Leeds".

Deputy leader Jonathan Pryor added: "Celebrating some of the remarkable achievements and stories of the local Muslim community is a fantastic way to inspire visitors and encourage them to learn more about some of the many people who have helped make the city we love."