GANG violence between white and Asian pupils at an East Lancashire school was the result of escalating tensions following September 11, it has been revealed.

Posters saying "Bin Laden is a hero" appeared at Accrington Moorhead High School as hostility mounted following the World Trade Centre attack, a court was told.

Around 20 pupils eventually clashed in the school grounds and weapons such as knuckle dusters, a belt and a piece of wood had been used .

Five pupils -- three white and two Asians aged 15 and 16 -- pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour following the incident in January.

They were given nine-month referral orders. A sixth will appear before Hyndburn Magistrates Court on October 1 after he also pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour. Today the school said it had immediately taken action to resolve the problem and there had been no further incidents.

The court was told that during a lunchbreak on January 14 a number of pupils had been involved in fights. Lisa Worsley, prosecuting, said: "This was the culmination of escalating tensions between two factions.

"One teacher said there had previously been a number of physical and verbal confrontations on racist lines. Some by white pupils and some by Asian pupils but it was always the same students who were involved.

"The events of September 11 had an impact on relations in the school and a minority exploited this."

The court heard how a number of fights broke out on January 14 between pupils in years 10 and 11, where weapons such as a belt, knuckle-duster and a piece of wood had been used. One boy was seen to run into a group of Asians kicking and punching and shouting abuse, Miss Worsley said.

She added that one teacher had said the whole thing was so frenzied and violent he could not see who did what. A number of teachers pulled the pupils apart and tried to separate the groups while police were called.

There had been around 10 pupils in each of the two groups which clashed on the sports fields. One of the defending solicitors, David Lawson, said: "The situation has developed as a result of the World Trade Centre tragedy and this is indicative of their immaturity."

Another defence solicitor, Carl Gaffney, described the whole incident as "a fairly grim, unsavoury and unsatisfying matter." He added: "These boys are capable of far better behaviour."

All six boys, now aged 15 and 16, were expelled from the Queens Road West school and are now either in employment or higher education.correct

Headteacher Andrew Bateman, said after the case: "We are relieved that the matter is now finally resolved and would like to say we will not not accept threatening behaviour from one student to another. It is totally unacceptable.

"Since this incident there have not been any repetitions of this nature. People have been discussing things more openly." Riot police and dogs were called to the scene in January and police maintained a presence at the school for several days.

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