ASYLUM seekers have been placed in houses just yards from where others were forced to flee after being targeted by violent locals, a councillor said today.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has refused to confirm whether it has placed more asylum seekers in the Brookway area of Livesey, Blackburn, saying it only placed new claimants where it felt they would be safe.

But local Conservative councillor Edward Harrison today claimed that the council was putting the asylum-seekers, many of who have fled war torn countries and persecution, at risk.

Several families of asylum seekers had to be moved out of the Brookway area in July after they came under attack from a group of local people who were said to have ruined the lives of hundreds of people on the estate.

A spate of incidents, both physical assault and intimidation, forced two Polish families, a Lebanese families and an Algerian man, to move on to other accommodation within the borough.

Coun Harrison, who lives on Brookway, said: "We were stunned and appalled when more asylum seekers moved to the area because it is not safe for them.

"The people forced to move on were worried sick about their safety and I fear that this action by the council is exposing them to even more danger.

"The council seems to think it is OK to put them in any old accommodation going and just leave them.

"That is not on and I urge the council to start acting with the interest of asylum seekers at heart."

Several new asylum seekers arrive in Blackburn each week after being dispersed from London by the National Asylum Support Service.

Their applications should take six months to process, but a backlog at the Home Office means many can spend more than a year in Britain.

Coun Harrison added: "These people come to this country for a reason.

"If we are prepared to take them in, we should at least look after them."

Miranda Carruthers-Watt, assistant director of rights, advice and entitlements at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "The council is working closely with Twin Valley Homes and the tenants' associations on all estates where asylum seekers are housed.

"We take advice from the police before any decision is made in cases where there have been any difficulties and we are not prepared to comment on individual addresses or breach the fundamental right to privacy of any resident."