AN anti-racist group for Nelson and Colne will be launched at a public meeting next week.

Pendle Trades Council has called the meeting and hopes to bring together people of all political persuasions to campaign against the British National Party ahead of local elections in June.

Speakers at the meeting will include representatives from the Christian and Muslim faiths and trade unionists.

Campaigners hope to form a committee to organise future activity, which is likely to include giving out leaflets across the borough and holding further meetings to oppose the election of far-right representatives.

The new group will be modelled on Ribble Valley Against Racism, formed last year to encourage people to turn out and use their vote to prevent the BNP getting elected.

Invitations to the meeting on Wednesday have been sent to Pendle MP Gordon Prentice and all of the borough councillors.

Trades Council chairman Edna Greenwood said: "We don't want this to be party political and we are not inviting politicians to speak because it's not a hustings exercise.

"Our main focus will be to encourage people to turn out and use their vote in the elections, because the BNP tend to do better if there is a low turnout figure.

"I hope we can bring together a wide group of people who can spread the word in their workplaces about the group and that if we get started now we can run a successful campaign.

"I think a lot of people are frightened by the idea of the BNP getting in in Pendle and we have heard they have started leafelting, so we need to come together.

"We have seen what's happened in Burnley and it's important that we respond to that.

"Many of our members went to the launch of Manchester Against Racism and we will be having a speaker from there and from Ribble Valley Against racism so we can see how other people operate."

The meeting will be held at Nelson Library, in Market Square, at 7pm on Wednesday.