PEACE and sanity returned to the streets for most of Burnley last night as communities tried to put the weekend of violence behind them.

Police in ordinary uniforms mingled with members of the mixed population in Daneshouse where on earlier nights officers in riot gear had clashed with youths.

And last night the son of deputy mayor Rafique Malik was back on the streets appealing for calm.

Shahid Malik is currently at the centre of a Police Complaints Authority probe after claiming he was beaten by police as he tried to maintain order on Monday night.

Yesterday religious leaders spoke of their shock at the devastation caused by the Burnley riots - and their prayers for a return to racial harmony.

The Bishop of Burnley, the Rt Rev John Goddard, Moulana Ahmed Sidat, chairman of the Lancashire Council of Mosques and the Rev Simon Beasant, chairman of the Lancashire Inter-Faith Forum toured the area yesterday and were also shown the crates of petrol bombs recovered by police.

They met an Asian shopkeeper in Burnley who told of his terror when his home was fire-bombed by a gang of white men.

The group, which also included members of the Diocese of Blackburn Anglican-Muslim Group, examined damage at Duke Bar News directly opposite the Duke of York pub gutted in a firebomb attack on Sunday night.

They visited the St John Ambulance headquarters in Colne Road which was badly damaged during the disturbances.

Bishop Goddard said: "My reaction to seeing these petrol bombs was one of great anxiety at how easily a situation can be manipulated by people causing considerable harm and damage to our town."

He said the majority of local people who had lived in harmony for so many years were upset and saddened by recent events.

He added: "We have to remain calm and steady so that we can return to that good relationship and patterns of co-operation.

"My prayer is that the disturbances and violence will come rapidly to an end."

Mr Sidat, of Audley Range, Blackburn, said: "It was a shock looking at the damage and hearing about these incidents in Burnley caused because of the action of youths on both sides, both Asian and English.

"These things should not happen and I hope that all leaders will get together to do even more hard work to try to prevent it from happening again.

Mohammed Sarfraz, his wife and three children were upstairs at their home in Oxford Road, Burnley, when the front door was forced and a petrol bomb thrown inside.

The family had only one way out through the flames and smoke.

Mohammed's wife, Rashad, broke an ankle in the desperate rush to escape.

Their three children, Babar, 16, Hamaun, 15, and Mariam, ten, were helped by neighbours and all escaped unhurt.

Mr Sarfraz, 38, who has a newsagent's shop next to his home, said: "It was terrible, it was terrifying."

The house was gutted in the blaze.

Mr Sarfraz said: "I have lost everything and I was not insured.

"I sank my life savings into the business. I have been here three and a half years with no problems.

"My customers are both English and Asian and until Sunday we all got along fine together."

Trouble "hot spots" of previous nights, Colne Road and Burnley Wood, were totally quiet last night.

Daneshouse resident Abdul Khan, 29, said: "Peace really came back to this area late on last night after the silliness in which Shahid Malik was injured.

"As far as we are concerned all we want is peace and calm."

A white family who have lived at the heart of the Asian community which has seen the worst of the Burnley riots say they have always been happy there -- but now they are frightened.

Tracey Mort, of Old Hall Street, said: "The screaming and shouting has been terrible, going on till two in the morning."

Burnley's Asian taxi drivers are still too scared to go back on the road after the weekend riots.

Abdul Khan, of the Burnley Private Hire Association, said 400 cars were off the road. "We can't go out.

"We're scared for our safety," he added.