Vandals target Darnall mosque over holidays

It is believed the incident happened while the mosque was closed over the Christmas and New Year period

Vandals have caused significant damage to a mosque, ripping sofas, smashing electrical equipment and destroying religious books.

Mohammed Shafiq, co-founder of the Jamia Abdullah Bin Masood mosque, in Darnall, said the damage was discovered on Monday when members went to re-open the building after the holidays.

He told the BBC he feared the incident may have been "a hate crime".

South Yorkshire Police has been approached for a comment.

Mr Shafiq said he believed the vandals had intended "to damage as much as possible" while the building, on the corner of Broad Oaks and Staniforth Road, was closed over the Christmas and New Year period.

"We turned up on the 2nd and what a surprise," he said.

"It not a burglary, I presume its more of a hate crime."

The vandals destroyed security systems, printers, paperwork and books

Mr Shafiq said the intruders had damaged the security systems and a number of religious texts appeared to have been "thrown on the floor and walked upon".

He said the mosque's kitchen, which serves as a food bank and is used to prepare meals for the homeless, had also been damaged.

"We serve such a large community and they damaged our kitchen where we cook. It is really, really horrible," Mr Shafiq said.

"We are just praying to God nothing will happen in the future until we can get everything sorted out."