A "disgusting" attack on a mosque which was damaged by fire is being treated as a hate crime, police have said.

The Al Falah Islamic Centre in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, was hit by arsonists on Sunday night.

One side of the building was left smoke-logged and blackened by the flames, with the windows now boarded up.

The building has also suffered graffiti attacks, with the word "Rapist" daubed near the entrance to the mosque, which is next door to a Sikh temple and across the road from a church, both of which left untouched.

Police are appealing for witnesses or dashcam footage of the attack, which happened at around 11.45pm on Sunday.

Detective Inspector Muz Kernain, of Greater Manchester Police's City of Manchester Division, said: "Fortunately, no-one was injured in the fire but, had it been earlier in the day, this could have been a very different story.

"Attacking a place of worship is truly disgusting and I can assure you we will not be taking this lightly.

"It's so important we find who has done this - the pain and upset they have caused is deplorable."

A record number of anti-Muslim attacks and incidents of abuse have been reported in the last year, according to a report by hate-crime monitoring group, Tell Mama.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting reference number 2220 of 09/12/18, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.