The outcome of this month's council elections was greeted with a sense of anger and dismay by members of community and local politicians.

The BNP's 13 candidates polled 26 per cent of the vote in the 15 wards, just a year after the party's General Election candidate earned 11 per cent of the vote. But the success was not matched in Oldham, the other North West town affected by riots last summer, where the party failed to win a seat despite winning a quarter of the vote.

Peter Pike, the Labour MP for Burnley, said: "I do not believe that everyone who voted for the BNP in Burnley is racist.

"I believe people have been conned by the BNP and their racist candidates and leaders. We have to analyse the final results.

"What happened in June last year was not acceptable. The only way to address the problems is for people to sit down and talk.

"I hope the message goes out for people not to resort to violence on the streets. That's the last thing we want."

He added: "I think the fact Burnley will now be known for having BNP councillors is a bad thing for us all."

"It gives them an official platform to work from and that is not good for Burnley.

"They will have a right to ask questions of the council and make statements but I am sure the other parties will find it difficult to work with them."

Turnouts across the area rose after pleas for people to show their opposition to extremism in Burnley and a general appeal for the electorate to use their votes.

Race relation chiefs felt the outcome of the election could not have come at a worse time.

Speaking to Asian Image, Abdul Hamid Chowdry, Director of Blackburn With Darwen Racial Equality Council said: "I am dismayed. race relations have been adversely effected. But I still feel Burnley is not a racist town this could have happened anywhere.

"The council must have failed somewhere for people who are not racist to go out and vote in such a manner. But this is a time when we need to support the majority of people, regardless of their colour and background who who don't share the feelings of the BNP."

Faruk Desai, Director of Preston and Western REC told us: "I am greatly disappointed. The sad thing is the BNP is being seen as a choice for protest voting.

"They will not get the support of the wider community."

Hyndburn Labour MP Greg Pope said: "The BNP is a disgrace to Burnley. But it also damages the image of the whole of East Lancashire and this should act as a warning to us all about what can happen. It's bad news. They are spreading a poisonous message."

A report into the causes of the Burnley riots in June blamed an element of racism and the perception among whites that Asian communities were receiving preferential treatment.

Labour Party chairman Charles Clarke said: "In Burnley there are a number of deep-seated problems which have developed over many years. What is unfortunate is that the BNP candidates have no interest in healing these communities and are intent on tearing them apart.

"But the Labour Government is committed to ensuring the safety of all communities who may feel vulnerable in those areas where BNP councillors have been elected and representatives of all political parties must work together to achieve this.

"It is disappointing that any BNP candidates have been elected, but tonight has shown that they have been rejected in the vast number of seats.

Simon Woolley, the national organiser for Operation Black Vote, which campaigns for people from ethnic minorities to cast their votes, said, "It's a sad day for British politics. One BNP seat is one seat too many."

Deputy Burnley Council leader Coun Rafique Malik said: "We have to listen to people and look at the issues in a different way.

"It is a sad day for Burnley and a sad day for Britain. We will do our best to respond to the protest."

Lord Ouseley, former chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, said the Burnley result would put a "severe chill" on community relations in the area.

"I'm very sad for the people of Burnley that a certain part of Burnley have expressed themselves in such a way," he said.

"I wouldn't like to be a member of a minority community living in Burnley during the foreseeable future."