THE largest teaching union in East Lancashire has accused the British National Party of stirring up fear and hatred in schools following a series of incidents across the area.

An anti-BNP motion was signed by the National Union of Teachers at its Harrogate conference after revelations that schoolchildren had been groomed with racist views outside schools in the east of the county.

Delegates are also planning to mount a major campaign against racism and intolerance in schools after the far-right party was accused of inflaming tensions that led to riots.

But local BNP leaders today said schools had a heavy-handed approach to a party which was appealing to potential young voters.

Simon Jones, national executive member for East Lancashire NUT, said: "We have had some incidents in the past where BNP paper sellers have targeted particular schools.

"But particularly in some pockets of East Lancashire there has been an increased BNP presence and it affects fundamentally the relationship of young people to each other in schools.

"Hopefully we can take action to rid schools of a general anxiety about racist views."

Schools were first alerted over a poster campaign highlighting "anti-white racism" two years ago after claims that the BNP was targeting pupils.

The reaction followed claims that the party was supported by youngsters in schools across the country, including two in Burnley - Coal Clough, now part of Cherry Fold, and Walshaw County High - and at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School too.

The party called on its supporters to lobby youngsters outside school gates in a bid to get them involved in a poster campaign and handing out leaflets advertising a competition for different age-groups from as young as five to design posters on the theme "Racism cuts both ways."

Last year the BNP tried to encourage parents to opt their children out of non-Christian religious education classes by dropping leaflets, stating that parents had a right to opt out their child out of such lessons.

And three pupils were suspended in November from Mansfield High School in Brierfield after an incident where BNP signs were displayed on a bus.

Dave Jones, regional press officer for the BNP, said: "I would hardly expect the NUT to pass a motion in favour of the party.

"Schools have a hypocritical approach to us anyway. If a pupil fell over in front of the school gates it would claim it was nothing to do with them.

"However, if we leaflet pupils after they've left the precincts of the school, they bring the full weight of the law down on us."