A GUIDE to Islam is to be circulated to all schools in Darlington to inform people about the borough's ethnic diversity.

Two Bengali women, Afia Begum and Khela Jafar, have produced A Simple Guide for the Community About Islam as part of the Steaming Ahead With Darlington Sure Start scheme.

The women are part of an Asian women's sub-group of the scheme and the guide has been requested to be sent to each school to help children learn about the religion from an early age.

Colin Morris, Darlington Borough Council's director of social services, said: "It has been recognised by a number of people who have seen the document as particularly helpful, not least in the current climate, and worthy of wider distribution."