Thousands of Muslims in Kent have broken their month-long fast.

Today, families and friends at Gravesend’s Central Mosque in Albion Terrace gathered to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr.

The festival is celebrated on the first day of Shawal, the tenth month in the Islamic calendar and draws Ramadan to a close.

To kick off the festivities, three sets of prayers were held at the mosque this morning.

Chairman of the Gravesend Central Mosque, Bilal Farooq, said: “People will greet each other by saying ‘Happy Eid’ and ‘Eid Mubarak’ and the men usually hug each other three times.

“Families and friends will get together and share meals and the young kids will get Eidi [a tradition of gifting cash].“

People will be wearing their best clothes, have decorations hung in their homes, and eat traditional cultural sweets called mithai.

But Bilal who is also the chairman of Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association, said as they celebrate Eid with their families and friends they will also remember those not able to be with their loved ones who are in need of their support.

He added: “The suffering of the Palestinian people weighs heavily on our hearts, and it is necessary upon us to stand in solidarity with them.

“Let us use our voices to advocate for justice, peace, and the fundamental rights of all people, regardless of their nationality or religion.

“Let us pray for peace, stability, and prosperity for all people around the world.”