THE family of the landlord of the Blackburn pub where the BNP will meet for the second time have been forced to flee their home after being told it will be burnt down.

But Gerry Bell, who runs several pubs including the Manxman on Blackburn's Higher Croft estate, said: "My hands are tied."

Anti-Nazi League protesters are expected to gather outside the Manxman tonight to protest at what will be the second meeting of the far-right organisation.

Support was whipped up for the protest over the weekend when leaflets were handed out in the town centre urging people to show their opposition for the event.

But since then, Mr Bell, who has been forced to shut a pub in Oldham because of the riots there last summer, has been inundated with threats against his home and his family.

Irishman Mr Bell said: "People have rung up threatening to set fire to the pub with my family in it.

"I have personally been threatened by people and the phone has not stopped ringing all because of this meeting

"What people must understand is that I am a licensee and part of my licence conditions is that I don't discriminate against people holding meetings.

"I don't agree with what the BNP stand for."

A standard clause in all licences granted by magistrates is that the publican will not discriminate against any section of the community or exclude them from holding events if there is a function room.

The BNP is holding the meeting to start a political structure for the party in the town.

Organiser Simon Bennett said this week that he believed there would a lot of support for the BNP in Blackburn because it has 'similar problems' to Burnley.

"I applaud the landlord for taking this stand because it shows he will not give in to the politics of intimidation.

"We have met there before and held an orderly meeting which he was happy with."

The borough has not had a far-right councillor since the 1970s.

The next borough council elections are in 2004 when all councillors are up for re-election. That would mean each voter has three votes, and the fear is that people may use one vote for the BNP and two for their normal parties, allowing the BNP in by quirk of the system.

Chief Inspector Neil Smith of Blackburn Police said: "Police have been informed of a number of threats to the licensee of the Manxman public house and are investigating the source of those threats.

"The whole situation is being continually monitored and the meeting will be policed accordingly."