Al-Azhar Mosque
There is a mosque at Laygate, including the Yemeni School, which was visited by American boxer Muhammad Ali in 1977. He had his marriage blessed at the Al-Azhar Mosque, one of the earliest mosques in UK. It is often noted that Al-Azhar in South Shields is the first purpose-built mosque in the UK, however, this is the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking. This story is covered in a documentary film, "The King of South Shields". Throughout April and early May 2008, the BALTIC Arts Centre in Gateshead chronicled the Yemeni community of South Shields, including interviews with the last remaining survivors of the first Yemeni generation. The exhibition depicted the Yemeni story as an example of early successful multi-cultural integration in Britain, as well as showcasing the high-profile 1977 visit by Muhammad Ali.