A FOOTBALL league will be set up in the summer which organisers hope will lead to better relations between Asian and white youths.

The Blackburn Multi Support Youth Forum League will only allow teams to enter if they have a mix of Asians and whites.

Organisers Ismail Esat, Iqbal Bhai and Muhammed Matadar hope established teams will join during their summer break from their normal leagues.

Ismail, a sports development officer for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "We want the community to mix and form better relationships between Asian and white children. Football is a great way of doing that."

Ismail believes there is a good relationship between the different races in Blackburn -- a fact, he said, which contributed to the town missing out on the disturbances which blighted Burnley, Oldham and Bradford last summer. But he said it could always be better, and wanted to target youngsters.

The seven-a-side league will be played at weekends at Beardwood High School, and Ismail said he has the support of the police and local groups.

Teams will be placed according to their school years rather than their actual age. Years Six and Seven will play together , Eight and Nine and 10 and 11.

No fixed date has been given, although it will the summer. For further details contact Ismail on 0780 291 2700 or Iqbal Bhai on 0797 021 6334.