Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr, end of Ramadan, in Bournemouth

The holiday marks the end of a month of fasting during which Muslims refrain from eating and drinking between dawn and sunset each day.

There are three mosques across Winton, Bournemouth and Poole.

Celebrations were in full swing at the Bournemouth Central Mosque in St Stephen's Road with 'thousands of worshippers' marking the event with morning prayers.

The Imam, Majid Yasin, said it was a special occasion for the whole community.

“Today, we celebrate after Ramadan because we have been fasting for a whole month,” he said. “We pray, and we delivered a speech about how the people should be after Ramadan.

“There were two sessions, for the first session more than 1,200 people were here and at the second session, there were about 1,000 people who were here.”

He said that families would be celebrating by visiting friends and family.

“The people see each other; they greet each other and help each other. After they have listened to the speech, they talk and have some sweets,” Imam Yasin said.

“After they finish today, some people will go and have a group picnic. Some people will visit and check people in hospital, check them, and greet them, saying 'Eid Mubarak.'”

The Umar family said they would be celebrating the day together with their loved ones.

“It is very important to us, because we have fasted for 29 days,” Mrs Umar said.

“Today is to celebrate being pure for 29 days.”

Mr Umar added: “This is a special day for us, for every Muslim.

“We are going home, and we will have a lot of food. Our family is coming around, just having a celebration.”

Meanwhile, one woman said she would be making all her family's favourite foods, particularly jollof rice, to celebrate the day.

She said: “After you have completed your fast, you have to come and observe the Eid prayer to just round everything off, so you get your complete reward.

“We are celebrating with our loved ones.”