Tipu prayers a statement of community strength

Prayers have been said in the car park of a community centre on Wearside as hundreds gathered to pay their respects to Tipu Sultan, who was murdered in South Shields.

Syed Khalid Miah Olid, chair of the management committee at the Sunderland Bangladeshi Community Centre, said that prayers are not usually said outside in this way, but they did so to make a statement.

He said they wanted to show community strength, but also to encourage anybody with any information to come forward.

Tipu was killed from single gun shot outside the takeaway where he worked in South Shields on Tuesday, April 7.

Mr Miah Olid said he had been to see Tipu's family. He said his children still have no come to terms with their father's death and still think he is going to come home and take them to the park.