THE small Muslim community in Hereford need our encouragement and support. The Hereford Times and Herefordshire Council are right to provide this.

Like the great majority of Muslims in Britain, the local community has nothing in common with the extremists that distort Muslim faith and culture.

In some towns, like Rotherham, they are also faced with a minority of their own disaffected young men who abuse teenage girls and they are striving to tackle this.

It is in the interests of us all to ensure that responsible and law-abiding Muslims are fully accepted in our society, protected from outbursts of racism and supported in their struggle to maintain the finer teachings of Islam.

REV GRAHAM HELLIER Marden