A BNP activist tried to stir up religious hatred of Muslims in Barnoldswick by handing out controversial leaflets, a court heard.

Anthony Bamber, 54, printed and distributed documents entitled ‘The Heroin Trade’ which allegedly claimed followers of Islam were responsible for the sale of the drug on Britain’s streets, Preston Crown Court heard.

The leaflet said the trade was a ‘crime against humanity’ and demanded that Muslims ‘apologise and pay compensation’ for the flow of heroin from Pakistan and Afghanistan, the court was told.

Bamber, from Preston, went with a friend to Barnoldswick in March 2008 and hand-delivered the leaflets to homes.

One resident alerted police and officers arrived to speak to Bamber.

He claimed he was promoting a group called Preston Pals, named after a First World War battalion which recruited from the city.

Bamber is accused of delivering similar material across the North West and sending leaflets to a Cumbrian school and two Manchester barristers.

David Perry QC, prosecuting, said Bamber distributed the leaflets ‘with the intention of creating or stirring up religious hatred’, namely Islam.

He said: “The objective of the letters and leaflets was to provoke hatred of Islam.

"The hatred was not directed just at the concept but at followers of Islam – Muslims.”

Bamber, who is representing himself in court, denies seven charges of distributing material designed to incite religious hatred.

Mr Perry said: “They (the Preston Pals) have got nothing whatsoever to do with the BNP and nothing whatsoever to do with the hatred of Islam.

“Why that name was being used is not really known.”

(Proceeding).