SPECIAL REPORT: Schools in Leeds urged to help tackle Islamophobia

Education is key to ridding of Islamophobia and other hate crimes in the future.

That's the message from charities who are focusing their efforts on going into classrooms across Leeds to raise awareness of Islamophobia and the damaging impact it can have on people's lives.

Radio Aire's investigation into the problem has uncovered a sharp rise in reported incidents in the last two years, where it's jumped up by more than 200%.

In Leeds, we discovered officers were dealing with anti-Muslim hate crimes almost every other day.

Those behind the school projects believe educating children from a young age will help address those figures.

It's thought promoting tolerance and respect will help shape their attitudes to be more accepting of others as they grow up.

Yorkshire MEND are among the charities creating specialist material and tool-kits to help teachers have conversations in the classroom.

Shahab Adris is from the charity, he told Radio Aire: "They're the next generation. If we educate them now we can look forward to a peaceful, progressive society in the next generation."

"Any form of hatred is unacceptable. Islamophobia is unacceptable. We have to celebrate the diversity that we have in this country. There's a lot more good that we can obtain from this country than the harm that we unnecessarily cause ourselves."

Find out more about MEND here.