TORY leader Michael Howard will be given an insight into a project aimed at improving life in one of Burnley's most deprived areas when he drops in at the town's One Stop Shop as part of his visit tomorrow.

The former Home Secretary, who is the son of Romanian immigrants, will visit the Springfield Road community centre to talk to workers and people using the facility.

Co-ordinator Sue Cooper said everyone was looking forward to Mr Howard's visit at the start of what could be a decade of change for the town.

She said: "The visit comes at a very important time of change for Burnley with the housing regeneration programme and we are all looking forward to hearing what Mr Howard has to say."

The Conservative leader is expected to drop in on visitors to the centre's luncheon club.

The One Stop Shop in Springfield Road was set up in April, 2000, in a 130-year-old former church Sunday school with £50,000 from the European Regional Development Fund and a private trust.

The shop gives advice on education, housing, welfare benefits, careers and jobs.

Mr Howard is expected to use the visit to the town, which comes three years after Burnley was rocked by race riots, to outline his party's new immigration policy.

Mr Howard will arrive at The Keirby Hotel, Keirby Walk to make his speech at 11.15am.

The visit has been welcomed by local Conservatives but dismissed as a publicity stunt by Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

East Lancashire based Liberal Democrat Peer, Lord Tony Greaves, has warned the Tory leader not to "stir up trouble" when he visits the town.

Lord Greaves has written to Mr. Howard reminding him that the Tories in Burnley are almost wiped out.

He said the only people likely to benefit from the visit were the BNP.

Lord Greaves, who lives in Colne and is a vice-chairman of the North West Region Liberal Democrats, said: "I have told Mr Howard that the main challenge now to good community relations and social cohesion in these towns is not the three-year old disturbances in Burnley -- it is the activities of the BNP.

"I strongly urge him to denounce this party in the strongest possible terms. If he tries to go for cheap populist votes by attacking asylum seekers he will only help the BNP win more seats next June.

"The truth is that asylum seekers are simply not a relevant issue in Burnley and Pendle."

Lord Greaves added that Mr Howard should not travel to Burnley to patronise Asian-origin British citizens who had lived here 40 years by telling them that they were "welcome".

And to tell the same thing to many more British-born members of Asian families would be nothing less than an insult.

He added: "If Mr Howard has nothing useful to say to help us with the real problems of housing, jobs and social cohesion in our towns he should stay away."

Mr Howard will also visit Leyland on Thursday to speak to party activists before he travels to Burnley.

The Conservatives have three councillors in Burnley, compared to 23 Labour, nine Liberal Democrat, seven BNP and three independents.